BERKSHIRE COUNTY, Mass. - In an effort to help reverse the effects of a drug overdose, the Dalton Police Department will become the first in the state to start carrying Opvee.

Opvee is a nasal spray similar to Narcan and can be administered to people 12 and older in an emergency. 

“This specifically addresses synthetic and nonsynthetic opioid drugs with specifics to fentanyl," Dalton Police Chief Deanna Strout said. "So we know that the stats are more than 80% of overdoses have fentanyl related. And Narcan is great, but this works better."

The department received 108 boxes for a total of 216 doses and everyone in the department took a training to be able to carry it. Once they update their policy, they expect to start carrying Opvee by the end of this week.

Dr. Jennifer Michaels at the Brien Center is happy about the police department having the option of Opvee in a medical emergency.

“If they get to a scene and a person has overdosed and Narcan has been given and the person has not responded after one or two doses probably they’re going to give the Opvee because Opvee has a stronger attraction or affinity to the opioid receptor and may be more effective than Narcan," Michaels said.

Her only concern is how long acting the Opvee is in the individual. She says it can prompt longer periods of opioid withdrawal symptoms in individuals. 

“It will be harder to get someone started on treatment like methadone or buprenorphine if they’ve received Opvee," Michaels said. "It won’t be impossible, but while the Opvee is active in their brains we will not have access to their opioid receptors to give them the medication to address craving and withdrawal.

Narcan is shorter acting, and they can start with other recovery medications sooner.

Still, she says there are situations where Opvee might be more beneficial to use.

“If someone is overdosing in a remote area and it’s hard to get them to the hospital or if the person who is helping them to stay alive only has one or two Narcan’s available, it would be great to have Opvee cause its longer acting and will protect the person longer,” Michaels said.

Narcan is available free to people in the area to use on someone if they are having an overdose while Opvee is not. 

“If you feel that they’re overdosing you administer Narcan or if you have Opvee you administer that," Michaels said. “Now if you’re wrong and the person is not overdosing, you will never hurt a person by giving Narcan or Opvee. Nothing will happen. You’ll get a wet nose, that’s it.”