The CDC estimated there were 107,543 U.S. drug overdose deaths in 2023, which is a 3% decline from the 111,029 deaths in 2022. Many believe that the widespread distribution of the junkie reviving nasal spray Narcan is responsible for saving those lives.

However, analysis now shows that there were not 3400 junkies saved from overdosing, it was one junkie saved 3400 times.

Portland street denizen Lazarus, real name Barney, is actually not happy with being revived over and over.

“I’m trying to exit, man, but they keep spraying that horrrible Narcan crap up my snifferino,” Lazarus complained.

“I’ve saved him seventy-five times myself,” Portland police officer Liza Doomore said. “We keep a case of Narcan in the trunk just for him. He goes down, we puff some Narcan up his snoze and, bam, he’s back.”

Doolittle’s partner, Rex Harrigan, credited Portland’s incentive program for saving junkies like Lazarus. “We get a stamp on a Subway card for every junkie we save. We eat free one day a week thanks to junkies like Lazarus.”

Recently, Harrigan and Doomore were honored by the Northwest Drug Dealers Association (NDDA) for their service to the community.