A new proposal in New York could require opioid overdose medication in workplace first aid kits, according to Spectrum News 1. The bill mandates that any workplace already required to have a first aid kit under federal law would need to include naloxone, a drug that can reverse opioid overdoses.
This measure follows reports from 2023 that emergency responders in the state administered naloxone more than 21,000 times. Advocates say the requirement would both save lives and reduce the stigma around addiction, especially in environments where the risk of overdose might go unnoticed.
Lawmakers argue the medication is as essential as a fire extinguisher. If signed into law, New York could become a national example for workplace safety standards.
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