As over the counter Narcan goes on sale in Valley, free supply still available
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A medication credited with saving countless lives from opioid overdoses is now available over the counter at Valley stores without a prescription.
Original-strength Narcan nasal spray is on sale for $45 online and at Walgreens, Rite Aid, CVS, as well as Target and Walmart.
The Food and Drug Administration says Narcan is a lifesaving emergency treatment that reverses opioid overdose. The medicine has no abuse potential, and it is not a controlled substance. It can also be administered by individuals with or without medical training to help reduce opioid overdose deaths.
Narcan’s manufacturer says that during an opioid emergency, it can only take 4 minutes for brain damage to occur after someone stops breathing, and death can result in another 4-6 minutes. The nasal spray can reverse the effects of an opioid emergency by restoring breathing while waiting for emergency personnel to arrive.
The FDA says that Narcan will eventually be sold in convenience stores, grocery stores, and gas stations.
Drug overdose persists as a major public health issue in the United States, with more than 101,750 reported fatal overdoses occurring in the 12-month period ending in October 2022, primarily driven by synthetic opioids like illicit fentanyl.
Narcan’s manufacturer sells the drug online and lists locations where it may be purchased in person.
According to the website GoodRx, health insurance often covers Narcan, but some health plans may have copays. Others may have a $0 copay. Check your plan for details.
FREE NARCAN
To find where you can get kits locally in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties, click here.
To get them free through the Mahoning County Public Health Department and watch an informational video, click here.
The Ohio Department of Health is currently supplying Harm Reduction Ohio with enough of the overdose-reversing drug Narcan to fulfill all online orders at no cost to Ohio residents.
To qualify for mail-based naloxone distribution, you will need to view a training video, answer a short quiz, and provide enrollment information.
Click on the link below to order Narcan nasal spray or intramuscular naloxone through ODH partner NEXT Distro.
Thanks to a partnership between NEXT Harm Reduction, Prevention Point Pittsburgh, mail-based naloxone services are also available for Pennsylvania residents.
Mail-based services are specifically designed to support individuals who are unable or unwilling to access in-person services.
The enrollment information is shared with Prevention Point Pittsburgh who will mail you naloxone in a plain bubble mailer.
Follow the link below for more information.