Narcan Administered 35 Times in Methuen, Mass.

March 08--METHUEN -- Narcan has been administered 35 times to revive people suffering from overdoses since city police officers were trained and started carrying the opiate overdose reversal drug in November.

Methuen police and firefighters are among rescuers throughout the area who carry Narcan as region battles an ongoing opiate epidemic.

A month-by-month comparison of Methuen reports show overdoses in February 2015 exploded by 750 percent.

Two opiate overdoses were reported in February 2014 compared to 17 overdoses last month resulting in the massive increase, according to figures compiled by Methuen Police.

From January to March of 2014 there were 20 overdoses in Methuen. However, in January and February alone this year, 29 overdoses have already been reported -- a 45 percent increase from the same time frame last year, according to the police compilation.

There were 145 opiate related deaths in Essex County last year. Some 30 deaths believed to be opiate-related have occurred in Essex County already in 2015, according to District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett's office.

Four of those overdoses occurred on Friday night, Feb. 27, after an incident at Market Basket at 186 Haverhill St.

A man passed out in the store and was found by officers lying on his back on the floor with a shallow pulse. He was also foaming at the mouth, according to a police report.

Another man was found sitting in a chair nearby, police said. He was sweating profusely with pinpoint pupils and nodding off. Police concluded both men were suffered opiate overdoses. Firefighters arrived, administering Narcan to both men, who were later transported by paramedics to Lawrence General Hospital, according to a Methuen police report.

At the hospital, one of the men, told police he snorted heroin.

Minutes later, police got another call that two women were overdosing in Market Basket parking lot.

Sitting in the right rear seat of a car was a woman whose skin was blue, she was having trouble breathing and she was foaming at the mouth, according to the police report. A police officer administered 1 mg of Narcan into each of her nostrils, while another officer was administering rescue breaths.

About four minutes later, when the woman's condition wasn't improving, a second dose of Narcan was administered in each nostril, according to the report.

"Her condition improved," wrote police, noting she was taken to Holy Family Hospital by ambulance for treatment.

Police said the other woman in the car did not show any signs of severe overdosing but admitted to snorting heroin. She was also taken to Holy Family Hospital for treatment.

When police went to the hospital to talk to the women, "both females were uncooperative and refused to speak with officers."

The car the women were found in was searched and no narcotics were found, police said.

All four overdose victims from inside and outside of the grocery store "were originally together," according to the police report.

No criminal charges were filed.

Methuen police have purchased 240 doses of Narcan, at a cost of $4,686, through the medical supply portion of its budget.

Chief Joseph Solomon said there have not been any incidents to date where officers administered Narcan unsuccessfully.

Follow staff reporter Jill Harmacinski on Twitter @EagleTribJill.

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