Maricopa County is working to prevent overdose deaths related to extreme heat this summer through increased access to opioid reversal medication.
In partnership with local organizations, the county’s Department of Public Health distributed 1,700 heat relief kits across the county in 2026. The kits include Naloxone, a nasal spray used to reverse the effects of opioid overdose.
Carmen Batista with county public health says extreme heat increases the fatal overdose risk of people who use opioids. “We have at least two reports. We have an individual who's revived on site, and then we also have a volunteer who later used naloxone to save their son's life. So we're already seeing some immediate positive impact from this,” Batista said.
Batista says the county is emphasizing maintenance for the naloxone to ensure residents have steady access to harm reduction tools.
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