What is naloxone?

PictureSource: 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)

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?

It is FREE at our office on Bob Wallace Avenue. We are here Monday - Friday
Naloxone (Narcan®) is also available at most major pharmacies including Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, Target and Walmart. Whenever possible, NOMA distributes naloxone free as long as supplies last. 

Find Narcan® nearby by visiting this locator: FIND NARCAN NEAR ME. ​

​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:
  • 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.”
Resources: