DENVER — Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser is providing a major financial solution to a program that supplies opioid reversal medication for free.
Naloxone is a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, and can be given as a nasal spray or by injection. The medication is safe and easy to use not only by trained professionals but also by bystanders.
Fentanyl-related deaths dropped in Colorado 31% in 2024 compared to the previous year. Health officials have attributed that progress to the increased availability and training of naloxone.
Created in 2019, the Naloxone Bulk Purchase Fund supplies naloxone to schools, harm reduction organizations and law enforcement agencies. The fund is set to receive a $3 million grant from the Colorado Attorney General's Office.
Politics
Rep. Petterson pens letter to RFK Jr. over cuts to overdose prevention programs
The funding was secured through nationwide settlements with drug manufacturers that ignited the original opioid crisis when people became addicted to prescription opioid medication. Colorado has received $132.6 million in settlement funding so far.
According to officials, the $3 million will provide 91,000 intranasal naloxone kits.
The Naloxone Bulk Purchase Fund does not have a recurring revenue source. As of Tuesday, the fund is set to provide naloxone through June 2026.
Attorney General Weiser said Colorado needs to search for future funding sources for opioid prevention services. Previously, the state has relied on federal funding.
Colorado faces federal funding cuts for multiple public health services. Weiser filed a lawsuit to prevent the Trump administration from terminating $11 billion in health funding. A judge granted temporary access to those funds while litigation continues.
