GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – An Eastern Carolina school system will allow the use of a drug to combat overdoses on its campuses.

The Pitt County School Board this morning unanimously approved the emergency use of naloxone in schools.

Also called by its brand name, Narcan. naloxone is commonly used in a nasal spray form to reverse the effects of an overdose.

The school system says first responders and school resource officers have already been allowed to carry Narcan. Administrators say the new policy extends that to nurses and others who could not administer the medicine without a school board policy.

Pitt County Schools is working with the health department which has a grant that allows the school system to buy naloxone at a low cost.

The school system says naloxone was used just once during the past school year at its schools, and that was to a school community member, and not to a student or staff member.

The latest statistics show that between 2021 and 2022, Pitt County saw a steep increase in overall overdose deaths, increasing more than 65% during that time period.