The Scottish government may distribute the anti-overdose medication naltrexone to opiate users and their family and friends, the Sunday Herald reported May 28.

Distribution of the naltrexone kits is aimed at cutting down on overdose deaths. Training on using the medication also will be included, courtesy of the Scottish Ambulance Corps.

Drug-related deaths have shot up 70 percent in some parts of Scotland in recent months. The naltrexone pilot program will begin in Glasgow if it is approved by the local city council. Another test program, in Lanarkshire, is already underway.

"Many drug-related deaths are preventable if treatment is available quickly and at the scene," said Lanarkshire drug official Colin Sloey. "This pilot scheme has the potential to save lives that could otherwise be needlessly lost to drug use."

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society is expected to rule on whether the drug can be distributed to friends and family members of users.

In the U.S., San Francisco and Chicago have experimented with naltrexone distribution programs to prevent overdoses.