FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS ADVISORY
September 5, 2017
Steve Marshall
For More Information, contact:
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Alabama Attorney General
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Page 1 of 1
ATTORNEY GENERAL MARSHALL HOSTS ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING OF ALABAMA OPIOID OVERDOSE
AND ADDICTION COUNCIL;
ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT TO LOWER COST OF ANTI-OPIOID MEDICINE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS
(MONTGOMERY) – Attorney General Steve Marshall hosted the organizational meeting of the Alabama
Opioid Overdose and Addiction Council Tuesday. Marshall is co-chair of the Council, along with
Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Mental Health Lynn Beshear and Acting State Health
Officer Dr. Scott Harris.
Attorney General Marshall participated in the organizational meeting which focused on strategies to
address the state’s ongoing opioid crisis. He recognized the tremendous challenge that opioid abuse
represents to Alabamians of all backgrounds and expressed his gratitude to Governor Kay Ivey and the
Council co-chairs for their commitment to helping Alabama overcome one of the biggest health threats
in decades. In particular, Attorney General Marshall acknowledged the special role of Alabama’s first
responders and law enforcement who are risking their lives daily while directly assisting victims of the
opioid crisis. He announced an agreement to lower the cost of life-saving medicine for officials to
counter the effects of opioid overdoses and accidental exposure.
“Alabama’s public safety professionals are often the first to encounter life threatening situations
involving prescription opioids and heroin,” he said. “They not only have the ability to save lives if they
can act quickly to administer an antidote drug, but they can also be placed in jeopardy through exposure
to similar drugs like fentanyl that are lethal when touched.
“For this reason, I am pleased to announce that the Alabama Attorney General’s Office has reached an
agreement with Adapt Pharma to provide Alabama law enforcement officials, first responders,
community-based organizations and state and local government with lower cost access to the lifesaving
Narcan nasal spray for treatment of an opioid emergency. The agreement is in effect until the end of the
year. I would like to thank Adapt Pharma for helping to safeguard the lives of Alabama residents and
law enforcement.”
On August 8, 2017, Governor Ivey signed Executive Order 708 establishing the Alabama Opioid Overdose
and Addiction Council to “develop and submit a strategic action plan to the Governor by December 31,
2017, that establishes recommendations for policy, regulatory and legislative actions to address the
overdose crisis in Alabama.”
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501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.alabama.gov
