Gov. Ralph Northam recently signed into law a number of bills that passed the General Assembly during its 2019 legislative session.

Three of those bills are aimed at increasing the number of people who are allowed to carry and use naloxone after they have completed a training program.

Naloxone is a drug that counteracts the deadly effects of opioid overdose. The medication allows an overdose victim to resume normal breathing by counteracting the depression of the respiratory and central nervous systems.

The bills authorize emergency medical services personnel and health care providers in hospital emergency rooms; school nurses, other school employees and local health department employees assigned to public schools; and employees of regional jails to possess and administer naloxone.

The opioid crisis in America has been at epidemic levels for some time. State officials estimate that last year, more than 1,200 Virginians died from overdoses of opioids, including heroin, fentanyl and prescription opioids. That number has doubled since 2011.

It is therefore imperative that more people be permitted to possess and use a drug that will help reverse some of the deaths that have been happening, perhaps allowing those people to enter a treatment program and get the help they need.

“It’s imperative that we provide the proper tools to our public safety workers to deal with all aspects of the opioid crisis that Virginia is currently experiencing,” said Delegate Scott Garrett, a Republican from Lynchburg who introduced the bill aimed at regional jail employees.

We couldn’t agree more. The only thing that doesn’t make sense here is why these vital, front-line workers weren’t already allowed to carry and administer naloxone.

The only thing that matters now is that these new measures are put into practice as soon as possible following the July 1 effective date.