RICHMOND, Va. -- "She wanted to do so many things. She did not want to be tied to a drug."
That's how Patricia Godsey remembers her daughter, Cassie.
Over two years ago, CBS 6 spoke with Godsey about her daughter's long battle with opioid addiction, starting with painkillers in the aftermath of several surgeries.
In December 2020, Cassie wound up in jail on a drug charge, and when she was released a month later, a COVID-19 diagnosis prevented her from entering a rehabilitation center.
About a month later, Cassie died of an opioid overdose.
"She passed away January 22, 2021. I don't think Narcan was really talked about then. It wasn't ever brought up to me when the recovery house said she couldn't stay here because she tested positive for COVID, coming out of Riverside."
On Tuesday, she met with Chauncie Beaston, the founder of the Where You're At Foundation, which spreads awareness about drug use, overdosing, and safety.
Beaston battled addiction herself, even overdosing one time. She told CBS6 she'd lost several people in her life to opioids, influencing her to educate others about Narcan, a nasal spray that can reverse an opioid overdose, and other treatment options.
"There's no place that is like, 'Here are your options here.' You know, you can try to find it, but you have got to search. And if you search anything for recovery, like if you type 'Recovery' into a Google search, the first thing that's going to pop up is like 50 ads to a bunch of different treatment centers," Beaston said. "We don't have like a solid list of like, what is Narcan? Where can I get it? Or any of these things."
Narcan spray is available at treatment centers in Richmond, like Daily Planet Health Services. It is also available at pharmacies but can only be obtained by talking with a pharmacist.
Now, with the Food and Drug Administration's recent approval of over-the-counter Narcan, set to hit pharmacy shelves late this summer, anyone looking to purchase Narcan in-store will not have to ask for permission.
"What this means is that people who care about people who use opioids, can just go to the store, pick it up without having to say why they need it, or talk to somebody about it," said Nancy Wallace, a nurse practitioner with DPHS. "It takes a lot of the stigma away and then just regular people on the street, people who care about people who use opioids, can have it and use it when they need to."
Since becoming a nurse practitioner in 2001, Wallace said she's seen a spike in opioid overdoses in recent years, often treating patients with Narcan in the clinic.
"Unfortunately, what's on the street right now, the opioids that are circulating in our community are extremely strong. It usually has fentanyl involved. And often when that's the case, one dose of Narcan is not enough. You have to give more than one dose."
According to the Virginia Department of Health, fatal drug overdose has been the leading method of unnatural death in Virginia since 2013.
Opioids, specifically illicit fentanyl, have been the driving force behind large increases in fatal overdoses. In 2021, VDH reports fentanyl caused or contributed to death in more than 76% of all fatal overdoses in 2021.
When using Narcan nasal spray, call 911 first. Press the bottom of the spray until you hear and feel a click to administer it into a person's nose.
The person should then be laid on their side for a few minutes, and if not responsive, should receive another dose.
"It's important to stay with someone after you give them Narcan and keep monitoring them and talk to the people on the 911 call," Wallace said.
Wallace said administering Narcan will not harm someone if they are not experiencing an overdose. Keeping it on hand to administer to anyone in need, she said, can be lifesaving.
"It is a huge relief when someone who's almost dead, isn't anymore," Wallace said. "You feel really, really relieved and also a little bit scared for them because you know what's coming up for them. After you give someone Narcan, they are going to feel sick. What it does is it puts someone through withdrawal. So, you know you're going to have to support them through that. They're going to feel ill."
Godsey said she wished she knew more about it before her daughter's passing.
"That's gut-wrenching. It's soul-crushing," Godsey said. "I want a process of what would I need to do. Okay, I had to use Narcan. What now? Where do I go? What do I do now?"
Wallace, Godsey and Beaston say the drug's eventual over-the-counter use will be game-changing. However, they worry about what some may have to pay if they don't have certain insurance.
Beaston said some sprays can cost more than $100 each.
"The accessibility won't be increased by making it over-the-counter if they keep the price at over $150. Like the price has to go down," she said.
She said her foundation works to pass out free Narcan sprays at community events, to make sure a price point will not prevent someone from keeping it on hand.
Both she and Godsey say the approval is just one step in addressing the opioid crisis. Both are advocating for consolidated educational materials for families with a loved one experiencing substance abuse disorders, or for students and parents to access in school.
"If you don't know you can get Narcan, you're not going to get Narcan," Beaston said.
"It can be soul-crushing, and it hurts sometimes," Godsey said. "I'm like why do I stay in this? Because I have to. Because there's parents like me and I don't want them to become me."
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
Depend on CBS 6 News and WTVR.com for in-depth coverage of this important local story. Anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
