It is estimated that more than 1,100 people die from unintentional drug overdose every year in North Carolina alone. Nationwide, overdose deaths have exceeded car accidents as the principal cause of accidental fatalities.

Over the last decade, drug overdoses have also increased because of the rising rates of prescription painkiller abuse. Fatalities caused by prescription painkillers are often avoidable, since it can take hours for an overdose to become fatal. If medical attention is obtained, prescription overdose could be prevented through resuscitation.

Unfortunately, people who witness or experience a drug overdose do not [...]