Governor LePage appears largely alone in opposing legislation to expanded the availabiliy of Narcan. Narcan, or naloxone, is a drug that can revive people who've overdosed on opiates. Democratic State Rep Sara Gideon of Freeport says it must be given within one-to-three hours of an overdose. If it is, Gideon says the drug can combat the effects of the opitate in a person's bloodstream. The governor initially opposed expanded availability, then relented and supported allowing one family member access to the drug. The Maine House Monday unanimously passed a bill making Narcan much more widely available to family members and first responders.
The measure now moves to the Senate.