Albuquerque Radio Host LB Johnson is highlighting a campaign to reduce Black overdose deaths on his show, Shut Up And Talk, on the Hustle 101.3. In a very personal appeal, Johnson tells audiences he has lost relatives to fatal drug overdoses.
“In the past two years, I’ve buried countless family and friends, including my best friend and my Goddaughter,” Johnson says. “According to the New Mexico Department of Health, overdose deaths statewide have decreased by 8% since the peak in 2021, when 1029 people were killed. Unfortunately, this positive trend has not extended to the Black population, where needless overdose deaths continue, especially in Bernalillo County, which recorded 70.2 overdose deaths per 100,000 Black residents between 2017 and 2021.
“Johnson urges listeners to heed the advice to carry naloxone so they can save the lives of those suffering opioid overdoses. “It’s time to make a change,” he says. “Women in Leadership and the Hustle 101.3 are coming together to (foster) change…” The full recording can be heard HERE.
LB Johnson
Stacy Burleson, Executive Director of Women In Leadership, said her organization arranged for the LB Johnson announcement, which is part of the You Have the Power to Save Lives campaign. The campaign is working with Albuquerque and six other cities to expand the availability of naloxone in Black communities.
“We are using a variety of communications vehicles to urge people to carry naloxone so they can be prepared to save lives,” said Burleson. “Black families and individuals are not receiving critical, life-saving information about naloxone that can reduce overdose deaths. As a result, Black overdose deaths have increased over the last decade while overall deaths have declined. The You Have the Power to Save Lives campaign uses multiple communications channels to reach the men, women, and youths in our neighborhoods and help them learn about naloxone and how it can save lives. It can be a difference maker in our community.”
The campaign focuses on establishing new naloxone distribution points in Black communities—including firehouses, neighborhood gathering spaces, and local health providers—to reduce the stigma around carrying naloxone and empower individuals to save lives in the event of an overdose. The cities participating are Albuquerque, NM; Philadelphia, PA; Louisville, KY; Durham, NC; Milwaukee, WI; Newark, NJ; and Detroit, MI.
The campaign wants to ensure that residents are aware of free naloxone, motivated to get it and use it, and inspired to share about this resource with their communities. YouCanSaveLives.org directs visitors to locations in their neighborhoods where naloxone is available and provides information on the medication, its benefits, and its use. We urge you to take an active role in this campaign by getting naloxone, learning how to use it, and spreading the word in your community.
Naloxone is a life-saving medication that reverses the effects of an opioid-related overdose within minutes. Available over-the-counter as a nasal spray, naloxone is safe and easy to use. Opioids relieve pain by attaching and activating specific receptors in the brain. Naloxone reverses opioid overdoses by blocking the receptors and preventing opioids from attaching. Naloxone can be purchased over the counter at pharmacies and is free through community distribution sites. It can be administered as a nasal spray without any specialized training.