Ohio city considers three-strike rule on distributing life-saving drug to overdose victims

A box of the overdose antidote Naloxone Hydrochloride sits on a counter at a Walgreens store on February 2, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio – An Ohio city has made a controversial proposal to deal with heroin overdoses, according to WLWT.

The NBC affiliate reports that Middletown, Ohio, is considering whether people should only be given two strikes before they’re out of chances at Narcan.

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“We are faced with stress on our services, particularly the EMS services where we can do six to eight opioid overdose runs a day,” said Paul Lolli, fire chief of Middletown, told reporter Megan Mitchell.

Last year, the department spent more than $11,000 on Narcan and told WLWT that this year,  it has spent $30,000 on it.

Last year, there were 74 deaths. So far this year, the city has had 51.

"If the dispatcher determines that the person who's overdosed is someone who's been part of the program for two previous overdoses and has not completed the community service and has not cooperated in the program, then we wouldn't dispatch,” said Dan Picard, Middletown City Council member.

Mitchell reported the Fire Department said responders are required by law to provide Narcan if they do respond to an overdose.

Until legal advisers look at the plan proposed by Picard, WLWT says the Fire Department is applying for grants and accepting donations to fund more Narcan.