Carter, Walgreens announce donation of 900 naloxone units to local organizations

SAVANNAH - Rep. Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-GA) today announced that Walgreens will facilitate the donation of 900 units of naloxone, an overdose reversal drug, to organizations in Georgia's First Congressional District.

The donation comes ahead of Fentanyl Awareness and Prevention Day, August 21^st, and is made in conjunction with Rep. Carter's naloxone training event hosted in Savannah today. 300 units each will be delivered to the Ware State Prison, Anchored in Jesup, and Gateway Community Service Board.

"Nearly 1000 lives will be saved because of the donation facilitated by Walgreens today. I am thrilled that GA-01 residents will have this lifesaving resource available to them and will continue pushing for naloxone to be as accessible as defibrillators. I carry it with me wherever I go, because you never know when you could be called on to save a life. As a pharmacist, I encourage every family to keep naloxone in theirmedicine cabinets. If you think the fentanyl poisoning couldn't happen in your home or your community, think again," said Rep. Carter.

"Walgreens is committed to removing barriers to naloxone access," said Dr. Priya Mammen, senior medical director in the Walgreens Office of Clinical Integrity. "As an emergency physician, I have for years combatted the devastating impacts of the opioid overdose epidemic and worked tirelessly to save lives. Expanding access to naloxone is a critical step in empowering individuals, families, and communities to act and be part of the solution. We must all confront this crisis head-on to bring change."

From 2010 to 2022, Georgia's fentanyl-involved overdose deaths have increased by 308 percent, claiming 1,600 lives in a single year. When used quickly enough, naloxone can save lives by reversing the effects of opioid overdoses and poisonings.

"We appreciate Congressman Carter for his commitment to advocating for the health and safety of the citizens of Georgia," said Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner Tyrone Oliver. "His efforts to include Ware State Prison in this generous donation will be valuable to both the staff and the offenders at the facility."

"Anchored is honored to be selected as one of the recipients of this donation. A large part of Anchored's social and community mission is to network and connect all the resources that exist in rural Southeast Georgia," said Shauna Mattingly, Clinical Director of Anchored in Jesup. "We plan to leverage that network of resources to distribute out this allocation. We're truly grateful for the donation and believe that it can save lives."

Rep. Carter, a pharmacist by trade, advocated for the Food and Drug Administration to make naloxone available over-the-counter, a move it took in 2023. He also leads federal efforts to officially make August 21, 2024 National Fentanyl Awareness and Prevention Day.