JUNEAU — A pilot project to increase access to a drug that counteracts opiate overdoses could expand to Alaska.

Fred Meyer pharmacies have started providing customers in Washington with naloxone without requiring a prescription for the drug, KTOO-FM reported. The program could extend to 11 Fred Meyer pharmacies in Alaska by this summer, according to the company.

However, that move depends on the outcome of Alaska’s Senate Bill 23, which would provide protections for those who purchase naloxone from a licensed pharmacist and administer the drug to someone who has overdosed.

The Fred Meyer naloxone pilot project started at some Washington stores in October. It will extend to Idaho in February and eventually make its way to Alaska, if the state passes SB 23.

“As soon as this law passes in Alaska, they’re already on our radar to go up there,” said Melissa Hansen, a pharmacy sales manager at Fred Meyer.

As part of the project, a person seeking to obtain the drug has a brief consultation with a pharmacist and is then given an injection kit or nasal spray.

“We see naloxone as a fire extinguisher,” said Hansen. “We hope you never have to use it but it’s great to have just in case.”

Taelyn Coffee of Juneau said the drug would have been helpful to her five years ago when she saw her friend overdose on heroin. She said they had been doing drugs with a group of friends when the girl became unresponsive.

“Trying to shake her, trying to get some kind of notion that she was still breathing or alive at this point. Nothing. We got nothing,” Coffee said.

On their way to the hospital, the group was performing CPR on the girl and eventually was able to revive her.

“That first breath, I can’t even tell you how that made me feel, and everyone else was just so relieved,” Coffee said.

Since the incident, Coffee has stopped using opiates and now works in an organization that serves to help women in domestic violence situations. She said naloxone is not going to stop people from using heroin in Juneau, but that it could save lives.

“I’ll be the first in line to buy some,” Coffee said. “I’m not an addict anymore but I know tons of people who are still.”