Wolf administration to distribute Naloxone kits across the state Thursday

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTXF) - Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf's administration will be giving away free Naloxone across the state Thursday in his latest effort to battle the opioid crisis.

Naloxne kits will be made available to any Pennsylvania who wants one at nearly 80 locations across the state, including state health centers and municipal health departments. Those hoping to pick up a kit can get them between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday at these locations.

Naloxone is a medication that can reverse an overdose caused by an opioid by blocking the effects of opioids on the brain.

The giveaway comes on the heels of a new report from the CDC stating that fentanyl, not heroin, is not the deadliest drug in America with over 18,000 deaths in 2016.

"The life-saving medication naloxone is essential for all of us to have on hand, particularly if you have a loved one suffering from opioid-use disorder," Governor Tom Wolf said. "We want to ensure that through this opportunity for free naloxone, we can save more lives and get more Pennsylvanians into treatment. Keeping naloxone in your home, work or even in your car can make the difference between someone getting into treatment or dying from this disease."

Since November 2014, more than 20,000 people have been revived with naloxone by police officers and EMS providers in Pennsylvania.

In addition to being able to get naloxone for free on Dec. 13, it is available at most pharmacies across the state year-round.

Thursday morning, Dr. Valerie Arkoosh appeared on Good Day Philadelphia to talk more about the state's efforts on Thursday. You can watch more in the video above.