One of Connecticut's two U.S. Senators received training in Danbury Monday through the AIDS Project Greater Danbury overdose prevention program.  Senator Richard Blumenthal said he was impressed with how simple and straight forward the training was.  The Center provides a syringe exchange program, which is coupled with education about how to use the overdose prevention drug naloxone.

Earlier this month, the Senate passed a bill co-sponsored by Blumenthal which is aimed at combating drug abuse by expanding access to prescription drug monitoring programs.  The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act increases the tools advocates need to prevent overdoses.

Blumenthal says the training he received Monday should be expanded beyond emergency responders to ordinary citizens.  He says Narcan should be made more widely available, including over the counter at pharmacies.