Free naloxone will be distributed next week at the Butler County State Health Center in Butler.

The Thursday giveaway is part of a statewide initiative by Gov. Tom Wolf to make the opioid reversal drug, commonly known as Narcan, more readily available to those in need.

“The life-saving medication naloxone is essential for all of us to have on hand, particularly if you have a loved one suffering from opioid-use disorder,” Wolf said in a news release. “We want to ensure that through this opportunity for free naloxone, we can save more lives and get more Pennsylvanians into treatment. Keeping naloxone in your home, work or even in your car can make the difference between someone getting into treatment or dying from this disease.”

In all, nearly 80 locations across Pennsylvania, primarily at state health centers and county/municipal health departments, will distribute the drug from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The health center is located at 100 Brugh Ave. A nurse at the center declined comment Thursday and referred all questions to the state Department of Health.

Nate Wardle, state health department spokesman, said each person during the giveaway event will receive one kit, which contains two doses.

The free distribution day was planned for around Christmas and New Year's.

“We know that the holidays can be a difficult time for people who have overdosed,” Wardle said in an email response to the Butler Eagle, “and our overdose numbers in (the state) tend to be higher around this time of year, so we thought it would be a good time to hold our naloxone distribution.”

Since November 2014, according to Wolf's news release, more than 20,000 people have been revived with naloxone by police officers and EMS providers in Pennsylvania.

In addition to being able to get naloxone for free Thursday, Wardle noted that the drug is available at most pharmacies across the state year-round. Naloxone also is available to many state residents with public and private insurance at pharmacies for free or at a low cost.