ZACHARY — Outside the public libraries in West Feliciana and Zachary, visitors will find more than just books. Narcan, a fast-acting, lifesaving medication that can reverse opioid overdoses, is now available for free to anyone who needs it.
There are no restrictions. Anyone can simply walk up and take a dose. It’s a no-contact exchange, so whether you’re picking up for yourself or someone you know, access is quick, discreet, and always available.
The weatherproof boxes are built to last, and so is the Narcan. Each dose can withstand temperatures up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit and has a shelf life of about a year.
Narcan, distributed here in nasal spray form, works by blocking opioid receptors in the brain. It’s often used in emergency situations to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses, sometimes completely. Each dose typically costs $60, but through this initiative, it’s available free of charge.
‘I lost five family members to overdose”
This effort is led by Hope Resuscitated, a nonprofit organization founded to educate and empower teens to prevent overdoses. “No stigma. No barriers. Just Hope.” That’s the group’s motto, shared across their website and Facebook page.
At the heart of it all is Leila Ramos, a recent high school graduate whose mission is deeply personal. After losing her 19-year-old cousin Draiven to a drug overdose in October 2023, and grieving the deaths of other loved ones, Ramos turned her pain into purpose.
“I tried to access Narcan on my own just for peace of mind, but I was 16 at the time, and I realized that nobody would provide Narcan to minors. That kind of snowballed into this idea of giving out Narcan for free, no questions asked.” Ramos told UWK.
Instead of being paralyzed by grief after losing her cousin, she said, she chose to channel those questions into action.
“I find that a lot of people believe that if you carry Narcan that means that you’re an addict or that you hang around addicts,” Ramos said. “But really, it’s just a safety precaution. I compare it to an EpiPen or an AED.”
Ramos got her nonprofit off the ground through the Young Entrepreneurs Academy of Baton Rouge, a nine-month program housed at LSU’s Business Education Complex. The program selects 24 students each year to launch their own businesses. Ramos also won $3,000 in seed funding, which helped her start the Narcan distribution points.
She credits Blue Cross, Capital Area Human Services, and other community partners for providing resources and support. In fact, most of the Narcan she distributes is donated by organizations like Capital Area Human Services.
“Turning that grief and pain into something good is really beneficial”
Right now, Ramos has just two distribution sites, West Feliciana and Zachary, but she says she has approval to expand into other libraries across Baton Rouge.
“We have plans to go into high schools and get kids into this side of fighting addiction because I think that is one of the best preventive measures out there.”
So far, over 100 doses of Narcan have been distributed at the West Feliciana site in the past two months. In Zachary, Ramos estimates about 40 doses have been taken. That’s roughly 150 total since the first box went up on April 26.
And they’re just getting started.
Overdose deaths in East Baton Rouge Parish
Hope Resuscitated also hosts overdose response trainings and hopes to bring Narcan and education into more schools across the state.
Accidental overdose deaths in East Baton Rouge Parish have dropped significantly in 2024, with 188 deaths reported so far this year, a 35% decrease from 2023 and a 40% drop compared to the peak in 2021. The last time overdose fatalities were this low was in 2019, marking a hopeful shift after several years of record-breaking loss.
While the numbers remain high, the decline signals that prevention efforts, increased access to resources like Narcan, and growing community awareness may be making a meaningful impact.
For more information or to request Narcan, visit Hope Resuscitated’s website.
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