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Report: You’re more likely to die from opioid overdose than car crash

Posted at 10:21 AM, Jan 16, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-16 12:21:16-05

BOZEMAN – The National Safety Council reports the odds of accidentally dying from an opioid overdose in the United States are now greater than the odds of dying in a car accident.

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services reports since the year 2000, more than 700 Montanans have died from an opioid overdose.

Bozeman Health emergency physician Tiffany Kuehl said in the past five years she has seen a consistent number of drug overdoses come into the emergency room.

She said she’s grateful for the new legislation in the state of Montana that improves access to the antidote for opioids.

This allows individuals to be able to help someone who has overdosed.

“A family member, or a friend or a concerned person can go to any pharmacy in the state of Montana and get the reversal agent and some training on how to apply reversal agent so they can keep that person breathing until paramedics can get there,” Kuehl said.

She adds that the reversal agent gives her hope as an emergency physician that people now have more control over an overdose situation that can be life-threatening.

-Emma Hamilton reporting for MTN News