What is naloxone?
Source: CVS.com
Overdose reversal medications are safe and effective life-saving tools that can be given to someone experiencing a drug overdose. Current overdose reversal medication including naloxone, sold under the brand name Narcan®, Kloxxado®, Zimhi® and RiVive®, and nalmefene (Opvee®) are medications used to reverse overdoses caused by opioids like fentanyl.
Opioids can cause difficulty breathing and sedation, potentially resulting in death by overdose. Naloxone is a medication that reverses these effects. Naloxone only works if opioids are present in the body and has no effect if they're not. It doesn't work on other drugs or alcohol. Naloxone usually takes effect in 3 to 5 minutes and lasts 60 to 90 minutes. Multiple doses may be required, as the duration of action of most opioids is greater than that of Naloxone.
Sources:
FDA.gov
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA.NIH.gov)
Opioids can cause difficulty breathing and sedation, potentially resulting in death by overdose. Naloxone is a medication that reverses these effects. Naloxone only works if opioids are present in the body and has no effect if they're not. It doesn't work on other drugs or alcohol. Naloxone usually takes effect in 3 to 5 minutes and lasts 60 to 90 minutes. Multiple doses may be required, as the duration of action of most opioids is greater than that of Naloxone.
Sources:
FDA.gov
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA.NIH.gov)
Do I need a prescription to access naloxone?
No. As of March 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Narcan, 4 mg naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for over-the-counter (OTC), nonprescription use. Narcan is the first naloxone product approved for use without a prescription. Naloxone is a medication that rapidly reverses the effects of opioid overdose and is the standard treatment for opioid overdose, according to FDA.gov.
Where can you get NARCAN?
Naloxone (Narcan®) is available utilizing the standing order in Alabama and can be purchased at most major pharmacies including Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, Target and Walmart. Whenever possible, NOMA distributes naloxone free as long as supplies last. The naloxone is made available to NOMA at no charge through the Alabama Department of Health.
Find Narcan® nearby by visiting this locator: FIND NARCAN NEAR ME.
Narcan® may be covered by insurance. According to Narcan.com, Alabama Medicaid covers the cost of Narcan. Put Narcan® in an easily accessible place, tell your family and friends where it is, and learn how to use it. Resources, educational videos and toolkits are available at Narcan.com.
Naloxone 3mg and 4mg spray have been approved as over-the-counter treatments and are available in local pharmacies and online. Naloxone 8 nasal spray can be purchased by prescription. Source: Alabama Public Health
Jefferson County Department of Health - Click HERE for a link to availability of Narcan© and the required training to receive it. They sometimes have an online training you can attend in order to receive Narcan in the mail.
Naloxoneforall.org - a website where you can request Narcan© be mailed to you if you are unable to locate it locally. This is a harm reduction organization that works to provide access to Narcan© to everyone. You are required to participate in an online training.
Find Narcan® nearby by visiting this locator: FIND NARCAN NEAR ME.
Narcan® may be covered by insurance. According to Narcan.com, Alabama Medicaid covers the cost of Narcan. Put Narcan® in an easily accessible place, tell your family and friends where it is, and learn how to use it. Resources, educational videos and toolkits are available at Narcan.com.
Naloxone 3mg and 4mg spray have been approved as over-the-counter treatments and are available in local pharmacies and online. Naloxone 8 nasal spray can be purchased by prescription. Source: Alabama Public Health
Jefferson County Department of Health - Click HERE for a link to availability of Narcan© and the required training to receive it. They sometimes have an online training you can attend in order to receive Narcan in the mail.
Naloxoneforall.org - a website where you can request Narcan© be mailed to you if you are unable to locate it locally. This is a harm reduction organization that works to provide access to Narcan© to everyone. You are required to participate in an online training.
Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention Laws
The chance of surviving an overdose depends heavily on how quickly one receives medical assistance. Bystanders of an overdose may feel fear or anxiety in the event that someone around them is having an overdose. Do not let this fear keep you from saving a life.
HB208, better known as Alabama’s Good Samaritan Law, was signed into law in 2015 to provide immunity for prescribing and administering an opioid antagonist such as naloxone. In 2016, HB379 was signed into law which provided the State Health Officer or a county health officer the authority to write a standing order for dispensing naloxone.
These laws are designed to provide legal protection to those acting in good faith to save someone’s life from an opioid overdose death. Sources: https://vitalalabama.com/project-freedom/good-samaritan/ DrugPolicy.org
Many lives could have been saved from overdose if someone had called for help, but the fear of being arrested preventing the call from being made. That is why we must educate ourselves on the Good Samaritan Law.
According to SafeProject.us: Good Samaritan Laws protect individuals in regard to the quantities of illicit drugs that classify use/possession, rather than trafficking/distribution; solely protect individuals that call looking for help for themselves/others against use/possession cases under a certain amouont of drugs; and require the individual calling/bystander to remain on the scene for emergency personnel to arrive do not call for help due to the fear of being arrested.
In the state of Alabama, according to SafeProject.us:
Under state law, a person cannot be prosecuted for any misdemeanor drug-related offense or an underage alcohol offense if law enforcement learned of it only because that person was seeking help for someone else. To qualify for this immunity, the person who seeks emergency assistance must:
HB208, better known as Alabama’s Good Samaritan Law, was signed into law in 2015 to provide immunity for prescribing and administering an opioid antagonist such as naloxone. In 2016, HB379 was signed into law which provided the State Health Officer or a county health officer the authority to write a standing order for dispensing naloxone.
These laws are designed to provide legal protection to those acting in good faith to save someone’s life from an opioid overdose death. Sources: https://vitalalabama.com/project-freedom/good-samaritan/ DrugPolicy.org
Many lives could have been saved from overdose if someone had called for help, but the fear of being arrested preventing the call from being made. That is why we must educate ourselves on the Good Samaritan Law.
According to SafeProject.us: Good Samaritan Laws protect individuals in regard to the quantities of illicit drugs that classify use/possession, rather than trafficking/distribution; solely protect individuals that call looking for help for themselves/others against use/possession cases under a certain amouont of drugs; and require the individual calling/bystander to remain on the scene for emergency personnel to arrive do not call for help due to the fear of being arrested.
In the state of Alabama, according to SafeProject.us:
Under state law, a person cannot be prosecuted for any misdemeanor drug-related offense or an underage alcohol offense if law enforcement learned of it only because that person was seeking help for someone else. To qualify for this immunity, the person who seeks emergency assistance must:
- Act “in good faith, upon a reasonable belief that he or she was the first to call for assistance.”
- Provide their real name when they call 911 or otherwise seek emergency assistance.
- Remain at the scene “until help arrives.”
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