(Southhampton Township) — Today New Jersey will dispense 20,000 free Narcan kits at roughly 175 participating pharmacies around the state, including the Hometown Pharmacy near Burlington County’s Pine Barrens. Narcan, also known as Naloxone can reverse a heroin overdose. Roughly 3,000 people died from opiates in NJ last year, a record we’re on track to shatter in 2019.

We met up with NJ’s Attorney General Gurbir Grewal to learn about this new approach to managing NJ’s insatiable appetite for heroin. New Jersey’s first lady Tammy Murphy was also on hand to help bring down the stigma and save some lives.

I’ve written about my slightly complicated relationship with Narcan in the past and I understand why some people don’t get it. But Narcan saves lives regardless of our opinions on the matter.