Quad Cities Harm Reduction

It is our mission to honor those lost to accidental overdose and to work to save the lives of those still struggling with substance-use disorders. In order to save lives, we must shift our approach to public health. We need to adopt more evidence-based harm reduction and less punitive measures. We support comprehensive treatment options, including medicated assisted treatment such as suboxone and methadone. Naloxone is a non-narcotic medication used to reverse opiate overdoses, including from prescription pain medications and heroin. Although Iowa passed an overdose prevention bill in 2016, the overdose-reversal drug is by prescription only, difficult to obtain and cost prohibitive. It is our goal to expand access to lay people with standing orders and make naloxone more affordable and widely available. We intend to work towards passing a 911 Good Samaritan Law which would provide immunity from arrest if an emergency call is made in good faith to save the life of a person who has accidentally overdosed.