Lansing, Mich. — The Ingham County Health Department is urging residents to carry naloxone after reporting a spike in overdoses between Oct. 2 and Oct. 4, including one suspected death, based on police and fire data.
Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Adenike Shoyinka said the county crossed a relative threshold above day-to-day overdose activity and that outreach teams have been distributing Narcan in specific areas while pointing people to prevention resources.
Health officials say Narcan only works when opioids are present and will not harm someone who is not overdosing. Free doses are available at Lansing Syringe Access at 913 W. Holmes Road, the Human Services Building at 5303 S. Cedar Street, and through mail programs such as NEXT Distro.
Guidance from the department includes going slow, using fentanyl test strips, never using alone, and calling for help immediately if someone may be overdosing. Lifeboat Addiction Recovery Services in Lansing is among sites handing out Narcan at no cost.
Despite the recent surge, Shoyinka said overall overdose numbers have fallen in recent years as free reversal tools spread. Residents can reach the county Health and Resources Navigation Team at 517-887-4306 for harm-reduction support.
