North Charleston community working to fight opioid epidemic

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) –The city of North Charleston and community leaders are working together to help put an end to the growing opioid epidemic.

At Tuesday’s workshop, an opioid prevention coordinator taught the community how to properly use Narcan to help save a life.

“Why should you care? Because eventually you will know someone. If we don’t get a handle on it you will know someone who is affected by this,” said Shelby Joffrion, the Opioid Prevention Coordinator, North Charleston Police Department.

The North Charleston Police Department reports in just the last week there have been 7 overdoses in North Charleston, two of which were fatal.

“This is not a problem of a different community. This is a problem in all of our communities, and we must step up to the plate to make this stop,” said Louis Smith, the Executive Director for the North Charleston Community Resource Center.

Narcan is available to pick up at North Charleston City Hall or Community Resource Center. The police department wants to have Narcan available in every part of the community to be able to prevent overdoses.

And one important place where the community gathers will now have Narcan on hand: North Charleston barbershops.

“We want to get rid of that stuff. We at the barber’s association, we’re here to help we’re here to do our part and we’re not coming from a place we don’t relate,” said Antonio Rivers, with the Palmetto Barber’s Association.