SNOW HILL – Inmates with a history of heroin abuse will not be provided with naloxone kits upon their release from jail following a decision by county officials this week.
On Tuesday, the Worcester County Commissioners voted 6-0 not to support an initiative that would have provided at-risk inmates with naloxone kits as they were released from Worcester County Jail. Several commissioners expressed concern about the proposal.
“To me this is sending the wrong message,” Commissioner Joe Mitrecic said. “It really doesn’t make sense.”
Worcester County Health Officer Rebecca Jones approached the commissioners Tuesday seeking approval of a memorandum of understanding between the health department and the Worcester County Jail that would have allowed for the distribution of naloxone kits to inmates. Naloxone is a medication used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
According to Jones, inmates with a history of opioid abuse would be enrolled in an addiction program and trained to use a naloxone kit in the event of an overdose. Upon their release, they’d be provided with a naloxone kit.
Jones said that naturally officials hoped the inmates wouldn’t relapse once they left jail.
“It is our hope that once they’re released they’re steady in their path to recovery,” she said. “This is just another tool.”
Mitrecic said that he didn’t want anyone to die but pointed out that other lifesaving tools — such as epi-pens — required prescriptions. Naloxone, however, is now available to the public at numerous locations.
“I don’t know that the county needs to be giving it away,” he said. “I’m going to be painted as the ogre I know.”
Other commissioners, however, expressed similar concerns. Commissioner Merrill Lockfaw said it was unlikely an individual would have the kit with them when they overdosed. He pointed out that it had taken years of education on the dangers of smoking before cigarette use declined in the United States. He said he considered education the best way to combat heroin use.
“I think that’s where we need to be working more,” he said. “I have to question how much good we’re doing with this.”
Commissioner Ted Elder compared the kits to safety straps used by tightrope walkers.
“This is like your safety strap that you’re sending them out with,” he said. “It deflects from the rest of the program to stay clean. It’s something that’s going to be in the back of their mind.”
Commissioner Diana Purnell suggested there were other programs the county could pursue, as naloxone was becoming easier to get in the community.
Commissioner Bud Church also expressed hesitation regarding the initiative.
“It’s almost like we’re supporting their addiction,” he said.
Commissioner Jim Bunting agreed.
“It does not make sense to enable somebody to do something,” he said.
Church suggested a compromise by allowing the program for a trial period of six months. His motion to that effect failed, however, and the commissioners then voted 6-0 to deny Jones’ request to implement the program. Mitrecic said the decision did not prevent Jones from returning to seek reconsideration of the issue in the future.