Narcan. It is the life-saving drug that brings people back from the brink of death following a heroin overdose. It's saved hundreds of lives in Erie County. But, on social media, there are some who say Narcan is just giving addicts permission to abuse drugs. Time Warner Cable News reporter Sarah Blazonis spoke with a former addict who says Narcan changed his life.
Jake Heba says his struggle began about 10 years ago.
"Started off prescription pills, got deeper and deeper into that. Eventually, one thing led to another, started using heroin. That led to me ODing in my car. Thank God someone was around to administer the Narcan," said Heba.
Soon after, he went to Horizon Health Services for treatment.
"Not only did I need the help, I truly wanted the help... I was sick of my mother worrying at night if she was going to get a phone call saying I'm not here anymore," said Heba.
Heba is one of the countless given a second chance thanks to Narcan. But the drug has prompted frustration on social media. A Massachusetts firefighter got in trouble this winter for a post calling Narcan the "worst drug ever created"and saying people overdosing should be allowed to die.
Scrolling through Twitter, you'll find many positive posts about Narcan, but also those attacking the drug, with one user tweeting, "If you need to buy Narcan, you need to quite the drug use," and another saying, "I vote we stop producing Narcan. Natural selection will run its course."
Heba says in a way, he can understand where these comments are coming from.
"My first thought, I'm not going to lie, is, 'Let's go do this again.' I didn't get hit with Narcan one day and just wake up and realize I needed to stop. It took a little bit longer down the road. People have to experience different pain in order to get into some kind of recovery," said Heba.
A parent and family support coordinator with Horizon Health Services says Narcan was used 900 times in Erie County last year. She says those making negative comments aren't seeing the whole picture.
"Narcan being used over and over again on the same person -- is that happening? I'm sure that it is, there's no doubt that it is, but for every person that happens to, 30 kids, 30 adults walk through the doors of recovery and start to change their lives," said Colleen Babcock, Horizon Health Services Parent and Family Support coordinator.
Babcock provides Narcan training at local colleges and to families and Erie County and other groups offer public training sessions. Babcock says she thinks the drug's importance will increase in years ahead.
"My mother had ipecac in her medicine cabinet to use if your child accidentally got into poison. I think Narcan should be in every medicine cabinet, because you never see it coming," said Babcock.
Nearly six months after his overdose, Heba says he's doing well, thanks in large part to support from family and friends. He says without Narcan, it's a half year he likely wouldn't have had.
"My mother would've gotten that phone call that I cringe thinking about right now. Thank God that there is something out there that can give you a second chance, because a lot of these people, all of these people, do not deserve to die," said Heba.