I don't think this has a significant bearing. Ambulances have had narcan equivalent for years. Addicts dont carry and pedestrians don't carry. Family members maybe, but I've never heard about it except in movies...and I know a lot of addicts.
The article does not appear to agree with that claim.
> We've almost tripled the amount of naloxone out in the community," said Finegood. He noted that one survey in the Seattle area found 85 percent of high-risk drug users now carry the overdose-reversal medication.
Addicts absolutely do carry Narcan, and are responsible for getting it allowed OTC. There was a time where you got MORE charges for having narcan (this would be around the Iraq war era).
I know a lot of addicts as well, and every single one of them was so happy when it became possible to get Narcan easily and to get it without fear of extra charges if caught with it.
However - it doesn't work if you also took xylazine with your fent-oin, so that's a whole new problem.
But you are absolutely wrong in that statement - it may just be that your group of addicts is not particularly high functioning.
If you are even tangentially related to someone who could use it, I would recommend keeping a supply on hand. I keep narcan, plan b, and other inventory in my vehicle's sub trunk. Total cost for this inventory was under $100. It is, in my opinion, a component of a first aid kit.
Maybe, maybe not. I know someone who just got a prescription for opioids and was given narcan as a part of it. If that's the case more frequently it seems like more and more narcan will be out in the wild.
> In the fourth quarter of last year, Emergent reported $111 million in Narcan sales, a 22% increase from the year prior. The increase was mainly driven by sales of the over-the-counter version, the drugmaker said.
This article indicates there are still challenges about availability in a retail setting, which would lead me to believe that more work put into that would reduce overdose deaths further. I would think a model similar to ubiquitous access of AEDs is what is needed (vending distribution, app to show location availability [similar to the Netherlands for AEDs: https://en.zoetermeer.nl/aeds], etc).
> Narcan, when given soon after an overdose begins, reverses these effects rapidly: The person will usually wake up within one to three minutes, according to the FDA. Because the effects of Narcan do not last long, it’s essential to also call 911.
(this is a system, which appears to be working, but can be improved to lead to improved outcomes at scale)
It's seriously awesome that Narcan is now available widely. I'd love to see the price come down somewhat, though. I just checked the site for my local Walgreen's and a 2 pack is $35.
$35 on some level seems like a great deal for something that can save a life (or even 2!) - I just worry that for the crowd who really needs it the most, $35 might be tough to part with. (I realize that a lot of harm reduction programs hand it out for free, though).
Still, it's extremely encouraging to see that overdose rates are falling this much. I spent a little time a few months ago watching some of Andrew Callaghan's videos covering homelessness and open air drug markets and it's grim out there.
