Should Ordinary Citizens Carry Narcan?

On Thursday, Surgeon General Jerome Adams issued a public health advisory. In it, he emphasized the life-saving potential of naloxone, which reverses overdose symptoms by blocking and removing opioids from binding to receptors throughout the body. And in addition to calling for doctors and first responders to have more access to the drug, he also recommended that ordinary citizens closest to the crisis become well acquainted with it.

I should really put this in the rant forum. Since I work up close and personal with patients with drug addictions, I see this as nothing but a sure way to see the number of overdoses, which are already too high, to do nothing but increase.

It is easier to get someone to jump off a building if they know there is a safety net ready to catch them. This is either the worse idea they have ever come up with or scheme to make more money for Big Pharma. At $150.00 a pop, I think they will be making plenty.


Health The Opioid Epidemic Is So Bad, the Surgeon General Wants You to Carry an Overdose Antidote

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

Wow, does he plan to supply these average people with narcan, or does he expect everyone to fork out $150 in case they need to use narcan to save some random stranger's life after they put a lethal dose of heroin/fent in their body?

I dispense narcan, to addicts, to parents, and to friends of addicts as well. The more people have it the better. I understand the opinion of the safety net, and have heard of something called a "narcan party" where they will shoot up until they OD, and then someone brings them back with the narcan.

That said, what is the alternative? Dont allow people access to it? That wont make an addict stop. An addict doesnt think like you or me, they dont give af about the risk. I would prefer them to have access to narcan and have their life possibly saved, and give them a chance to turn their life around.

a reply to: new_here

Narcan is covered by most insurance plans for either a zero copay, or max 10 dollars.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

This whole thing would be easier for me to deal with if I did not believe that it was intentional. I lost my friend and neighbor to this, and now his brother has lost his wife due to the grief. But hey, guns... We really need to shout from the rooftops about this epidemic of opioids. I was reading that librarians are saving lives because people are overdosing in library bathrooms. Again, this is intentional, and I want answers. Thank you for your work on the front lines.

How would an average citizen know if someone needs a narcan shot? Will the citizen get sued if they administered the shot without permission?

originally posted by: Middleoftheroad
How would an average citizen know if someone needs a narcan shot? Will the citizen get sued if they administered the shot without permission?

That is where education comes in. The pharmacist or doctor needs to counsel the patient getting the narcan as to what to look for. Also, it is dispensed as a nasal spray and is VERY easy to administer.

Yeah right. There is no way I would administer that to a stranger, the liabilities are huge and, why should I take the risk anyways?

originally posted by: new_here
does he expect everyone to fork out $150 in case they need to use narcan to save some random stranger's life

originally posted by: Middleoftheroad
How would an average citizen know if someone needs a narcan shot? Will the citizen get sued if they administered the shot without permission?

As stated in the quote of the OP;

he also recommended that ordinary citizens closest to the crisis become well acquainted with it.

I assume this means family and friends of the addicts suffering, not to help a random stranger on the street.

a reply to: MisterMcKill
I truly understand how you feel. I too am beginning to believe that if nothing else, that they are finding a way to make a serious problem profitable.

I agree that the movement doesn't involve encouraging children to walk out of school and onto the streets of Washington, D.C. to demand a fix for this problem.

originally posted by: annoyedpharmacist
a reply to: new_here

Narcan is covered by most insurance plans for either a zero copay, or max 10 dollars.

I don't think I could get my insurance to cover $150 purchase of narcan for me to have on hand in case I come across someone overdosing. To be fair, I haven't asked them... but they're not very generous in paying for # for me, and I'm the one insured here...

a reply to: annoyedpharmacist

Why, so they can rob me or my loved ones for their next fix? They made their decisions in life and so did I and my loved ones. Everyone doesn't get a free pass to be an idiot.

Wasn't there a story a few months ago about a town that basically said screw it and let people die of overdoses... I'm kind of in that camp to be honest. Basically, they were sick of reviving the same junkies multiple times and the related costs.

Ohio Pols Proposal - Let Addicts Die

a reply to: Middleoftheroad
They are suggesting the purchase and use of the Narcan Nasal Spray.

Which while easier to use, is not fool proof.

originally posted by: hombero
a reply to: annoyedpharmacist

Why, so they can rob me or my loved ones for their next fix? They made their decisions in life and so did I and my loved ones. Everyone doesn't get a free pass to be an idiot.

I have empathy for addicts, I have known many over the years and the are not ALL CRIMINALS. Some have been, and still are my friends.

a reply to: NightSkyeB4Dawn

If letting people overdose stopped overdoses, there wouldn't be any more overdoses.

I think it's a stretch to want every person walking the street to have narcan on them in case someone around them overdoses. But if you are around people doing hard opiates (in your job or in your personal life) it's probably smart to have some on hand. Better to save a life in the hopes of treatment than to let someone die as a "lesson".

originally posted by: new_here

originally posted by: annoyedpharmacist
a reply to: new_here

Narcan is covered by most insurance plans for either a zero copay, or max 10 dollars.

I don't think I could get my insurance to cover $150 purchase of narcan for me to have on hand in case I come across someone overdosing. To be fair, I haven't asked them... but they're not very generous in paying for # for me, and I'm the one insured here...

I dispense medications for a living. And dispense about 4 or 5 narcans every day to family and friends of addicts and addicts themselves. I can not remember one that was not covered by insurance.

originally posted by: Edumakated
Wasn't there a story a few months ago about a town that basically said screw it and let people die of overdoses... I'm kind of in that camp to be honest. Basically, they were sick of reviving the same junkies multiple times and the related costs.

Ohio Pols Proposal - Let Addicts Die

As someone that has lost very close friends and family. As someone who has brought them into my house to try and help them get clean because they were so close, just to be robbed later by those same people. I'd say I agree. The only people that can help them are themselves and pretty much every junkie will say the same.

I can't afford to start spending a hundred fifty bucks on a Narcan when it has a limited shelf life. Now, if I had someone close who was addicted, that would be different. I would really hate to have someone pissed off at me because I ruined their buzz. If I see someone laying on the ground, I will just call 911. They do not take that long to get here anyway, maybe ten minutes tops. I also do not know the symptoms of an overdose as compared to symptoms of a Hypoglycemic episode. I am not going to start giving anyone a shot of Narcan.

How can it be legal to give someone a medication like that if you are not licensed to do so. All medications have side effects and can be dangerous if given with a medication someone has used. Let the professionals do what they do best.

I think this is a sales pitch, if a hundred thousand people bought some, that would be a real lot of profit for the Pharma industry.

originally posted by: annoyedpharmacist

originally posted by: Middleoftheroad
How would an average citizen know if someone needs a narcan shot? Will the citizen get sued if they administered the shot without permission?

That is where education comes in. The pharmacist or doctor needs to counsel the patient getting the narcan as to what to look for. Also, it is dispensed as a nasal spray and is VERY easy to administer.

Is there any side effects or bad reactions to the narcan? Because if it's completely safe for all, including those that might not have overdosed on something, then it would be good if more people can save more lives.