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NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is unveiling an effort to combat painkiller overdose deaths.
De Blasio and health officials said that naloxone, a medication that can prevent death from opioid overdose, would now be available in city pharmacies without a prescription.
The city is also authorizing 1,000 new providers to prescribe buprenorphine, a medication that stops opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
City health official said overdose deaths from painkillers and heroin and have increased by 56 percent since 2010.
Opioid addiction, often associated with the nation's suburbs and rural areas, has become a scourge on Staten Island, the most suburban-like area in New York City.
De Blasio announced the new plan, which is part of the city's ThriveNYC mental health initiative, in that borough on Monday.
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