Over-the-counter Narcan is a small victory in the overdose crisis.we need more

The round pin on my wallet says “I CARRY NALOXONE”, proclaiming that I am. Be prepared to respond to an opioid overdose— that event More than 180 people die every day in this country. that is, someone stops breathing, turns blue and becomes unresponsive After an overdose, naloxone can be administered to reverse another tragedy.

I am not a medical professional or a trained paramedic. Anyone Can Reverse an Overdose In an emergency, call 911 and give artificial respiration. We all carry this miracle drug in our purses and back pockets.

of FDA made it easier last month By authorizing the over-the-counter (OTC) sale of Emergent BioSolutions’ Narcan Nasal Spray. The first overdose antagonist approved for community use, now he is OTC, delivering a spray of naloxone through the nose and acting in minutes. This decision took a long time. Emergency medical practitioners have used naloxone for decades and it has been prescribed for carrying by the general public since 1996. As a harm reduction expert, I know that finally getting him to approve one of his OTC naloxone products is a step in the right direction, but not very far. sufficient.

More Americans die from drug overdoses each year than the total number of lives lost during the Vietnam War. surpassing 107,000 in 2021The drug overdose crisis Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the average American’s life expectancy reached an all-time high for overdose deaths due to isolation and economic struggles.In Maryland, as in most parts of the country, we have seen illegally manufactured opioid fentanyl spurs. Soaring deaths from overdoseFentanyl—100 times stronger than morphine— causes respiratory arrest even faster than heroin.and in Maryland drug testing programshows that used equipment is tested in statewide harm reduction programs Virtually no more heroines on the illicit drug market. Mainly fentanyl. Naloxone is the most important tool available to respond to this high-risk environment, and aggressive action is needed to reverse the devastating trend of mortality.

We can start by freeing naloxone from a prescription requirement, not just in the more expensive nasal spray, but in all prescriptions (including injections). was worth it. It is safe, effective, has no potential for abuse, and can be used by anyone without training. harm reduction programa comprehensive care center that nonjudgmentally helped and distributed people who used drugs. since 1996Meanwhile, since 2001, naloxone has been available outside of medical settings due to state legislation that has swept the country. Nonprofits and government agencies then began distributing naloxone on street corners, including homeless camps and barbershops. Studies show that it is widely distributed among people who are most likely to witness an overdose, namely those who use drugs.Reduces overall opioid overdose mortality.

We’re screwed”drug war‘ helps criminalize drugs, jail and account for those who use them The federal government’s response was significantly delayed at risk of overdose. We have over-invested in prison cells and under-invested in addiction treatment and harm reduction. have been seen in the last ten years.

Prior to that, harm reduction nonprofits and activists helped improve drug user health care from the bottom up by distributing naloxone and other life-saving products in creative ways despite legal barriers. I have activated it.For example, Dan Big and the Chicago Recovery Alliance Bypassing prescription requirements for naloxone In the 1990s, doctors began writing prescriptions on site, along with trained staff. Nonprofits like this are still best positioned to provide drug users with naloxone, but they can’t distribute enough to stop the tsunami of overdose deaths. Due to the lack of , they are underfunded and understaffed, struggling to meet the ever-increasing demand for their services.The Biden administration only approved first federal expenditure Specifically, $30 million for harm reduction in 2021.

moreover, Cost Outweighs Convenience with naloxone. OTC nasal sprays welcome, but community distribution of all naloxone formulations to people at highest risk of overdose —For free— remains essential to making sure it’s on hand after every overdose. again, Product placement issues to avoid Stigma surrounding drug usePeople may not want to be seen holding a box of Narkan at the cash register. A harm reduction program that uses free naloxone to meet people bypasses these barriers.

The federal government should completely remove all forms and dosages of naloxone from prescription requirements.Federal funding should go to companies that: Remedy Alliancerun by the country’s leading naloxone experts, negotiates cheap naloxone prices with pharmaceutical companies and distributes them to harm reduction programs. and their families. Without prescription restrictions, naloxone can be used in homeless shelters, emergency departments, opioid treatment programs, prisons, churches, hair salons, skate parks, etc. more easily available in key locations (why?). naloxone in vending machine Increases range of harm reduction Program, similar to doorstep delivery on mailA whole new world of free naloxone distribution is critical and needs support to reverse the overdose mortality trend.

Going one step further, ending the opioid overdose crisis requires drug decriminalization and reinvestment in behavioral health.Oregon voter 2020 made this happenthe influence of European countries Portugal Where investments in decriminalization and harm reduction are being made Bringing drug use and related deaths well below the European averageFrom the ground up, I think this major shift in America’s drug policy is not only possible, it’s inevitable. yeah. It begins with the release of naloxone.

This is an opinion and analysis article and the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily Scientific American.