ORLANDO, Fla. (Nov. 30, 2022) –Today, Project Opioid will launch a new program focused on getting overdose prevention drugs into the hands of Downtown Orlando business owners. The Downtown Overdose Reversal and Intervention Program colloquially referred to as, DRIP will focus on getting the new more powerful 8mg Naloxone Nasal Spray, KLOXXADO, into the community. Because of the vulnerability of young individuals to Fentanyl, DRIP is focusing initial efforts on the nightlife and restaurant scene in Downtown Orlando. Overdose deaths among our young continue to skyrocket, increasing as much as 50% among 20-year-olds since 2020. While continuing to distribute 4mg Narcan Nasal Spray, the organization will begin distribution Wednesday of the higher dose Naloxone, KLOXXADO Nasal Spray, which comes in an 8mg dose. The makers of KLOXXADO, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, donated over 5000 units of this drug to the nonprofit Project Opioid at no cost. This donation is valued at more than $300,000. “Downtown is the epicenter for our nightlife, and unfortunately the same can often be said of our drug scene. That is why we have launched this new program to save lives during this overdose crisis,” said Andrae Bailey, CEO, and Founder of Project Opioid, the community’s largest convenor of elected officials, healthcare leaders, law enforcement, and advocates around the state to battle the opioid crisis. “We need to provide every bar, restaurant, and venue with the ability to save a life if they encounter a person overdosing,” said Bailey, who began Project Opioid in Florida in 2018. In partnership with the Orlando Hospitality Alliance, DRIP is kicking off by meeting with leadership from many of the top bars and restaurants located in Downtown Orlando from 1 pm-5 pm today (Wednesday, November 30, 2022) to introduce the initiative, provide a digital Harm Reduction Employer Toolkit, Naloxone training and distribution of the nasal spray, KLOXXADO. Project Opioid and its team members will be canvasing the streets with information and doing on-the-spot training and distribution of Naloxone for free. There will be multiple opportunities to interview these individuals while their staff receives these new overdose prevention tools.