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“People think that if it came from a doctor, it must be safe,” he said. “If a doctor tells you to use something, you’re going to do it.” Last month, Harris said he didn’t know a more important issue facing the state than the opioid crisis. He was speaking to a group of state health and policy leaders charged with finding fixes to the problem. Harris, who is from Decatur, also leads the Morgan County Health Department. His medical background, which began 30 years ago, is in HIV. “The number of (opioid) overdoses are outpacing the HIV deaths we saw back in the day,” Harris told the Alabama Opioid Overdose and Addiction Council. A few days later, Harris announced a grant providing 1,200 doses of the lifesaving antidote naloxone for first responders statewide to help prevent opioid overdose deaths.The grant is paying for 600 kits, each holding two doses of the drug. Naloxone allows for the temporary reversal of an overdose, giving enough time for emergency medical personnel to arrive, said the state Department of Public Health. Both Decatur Fire and Rescue and the Decatur Police Department carry naloxone in the form of a nasal spray.
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