We live in an era where drug overdoses occur on a daily basis. It isn’t uncommon to know someone who has been involved either directly, or indirectly, with an opiate-related overdose or addiction, namely heroin. Having a readily accessible Naloxone supply on hand may be a welcome relief to some families—perhaps offering them a minuscule amount of peace of mind.
This is what Ohio and Kentucky are hoping for, starting next week. An announcement has been made on behalf of Kroger’s pharmacies in the two states. Backed by Senator Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Attorney General Mike DeWine, Naloxone kits will be available over the counter.
Tom Davis, vice president of pharmacy professional practices, has announced in a written statement about the program:
“Naloxone is a safe and effective antidote to opioid overdoses and by expanding access to this medication in our Ohio pharmacies by the use of a physician’s standing order for patients without a prescription, we can help save lives.”
Ohio and Kentucky are said to rank in the top five states for overdose death rates, according to the CDC. According to Jeff Talbot, vice president of Kroger’s merchandising division, “Kroger wants to help reverse this horrible statistic. We want families dealing with addiction to know that they can count on having this drug available in the event that they need it.”
Kroger’s decision to supply over the counter Naloxone kits, has been widely supported by the medical and political communities of Ohio and Kentucky. “While many of our first responders carry Naloxone,” says DeWine, “having it available on a wider basis will no doubt help save lives.”
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This is a great thing for saving lives, but there are people out that that ENJOY getting people to INJECT for the first time and OTC Naloxone WILL make it an easier decision for first time I.V. drug users. And depending on it’s price, extreme addicts will be more likely to use HIGHER and HIGHER doses!! More opiate abuse is bound to be directly connected to OTC Narcan. Most current addicts will surely get worse. This is the real message you should be getting from this!
Hasn’t happened in Portugal or Switzerland, where the drug itself is effectively available ‘over-the-counter’. In these countries opiate abuse has declined, in fact.
putting restrictions and laws on something only makes the curious want it more, you literaly create a problem out of nothing.
Naloxone saves lives. Extremely grateful for the pharmacies that are working to have Naloxone OTC available.
Is updated information available?
When will Naloxone OTC be available in the Jefferson and Bullitt County areas?