By C1 Staff
BOSTON, Mass. — The Barnstable County Correctional Facility has adopted the use of a drug to help opiate addicts overcome their addiction.
FOX News reports that less than 10 percent of those who have taken the drug, Vivitrol, have returned to jail.
The drug is an injection and helps the body stave off opiate cravings. The program has been in place at the facility for three years after polling inmates about their issues.
“When we first asked inmates when they’re coming into the jail that they feel they were addicted opiates, 43 percent told us yes they were,” Barnstable County Sheriff James Cummings said.
The shot lasts for about a month, and released inmates are given a shot directly before leaving jail. Due to the success of the drug, every county jail in the state has come to offer it.
The facility’s medical director says using Vivitrol is a win-win for the community.
The Massachusetts drug maker pays for the first $1,000 shot and insurance handles the rest.