Bill to put Narcan in Ga. schools passes despite addition to ban puberty blockers for trans kids

ATLANTA — A bill to put naloxone, also known as Narcan, in all Georgia public schools got nearly unanimous support in the Georgia Senate despite a controversial last-minute addition.

Lawmakers approved Senate Bill 395, known as Wesley’s Law.

But Monday night, the sponsor, State Sen. Ben Watson, added a provision that bans puberty blockers for transgender children.

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“It turns out through research that almost all people who are put on puberty blockers, and we’re talking about - when I say people I mean minors, 17 years or younger. (Those) that are put on puberty blockers go ahead with sex change operations or the sexual hormones,” Watson said.

“I’m deeply disturbed by the argument and this notion that puberty blockers are a pathway directly to sex changes because we know for a fact that sex changes are not legal in the state of Georgia for minors,” Sen. Kim Jackson said.

Watson said the bill does not prevent puberty blockers from being used for other medical reasons.

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