The US Food and Drug Administration last spring announced a nationwide rule that Narcan, the name brand for the medication naloxone that stops an opioid overdose, could be sold without a prescription. Starting this week, major retailers, including Walmart, CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid, will have it available in-store and online, making it easier to buy and have on hand.
Narcan is a nasal spray that can be administered safely to someone experiencing signs of an opioid overdose. It’s easy to use, which is why you don’t have to be medically trained to use it on someone else, similar to how bystanders are able to use EpiPens on someone experiencing allergic shock.
In about 40% of overdose deaths, someone else was present, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Deaths from opioid overdoses have surged in recent years, with deaths continuing to climb last year.
Narcan or naloxone has already been available without prescription in many states and pharmacies in response to the country’s opioid overdose epidemic. It has also been available for free at some community centers or harm-reduction sites. The hope of having it available online at mainstream pharmacies and online is that people can find it easily and have it delivered or pick it up discreetly, whether they use opioids or know someone who does.
How to buy Narcan online, and how much it costs
A box of Narcan, which contains two single-dose nasal sprays, costs $45 at all major pharmacies and retailers that carry it. How quickly you’re able to buy it will depend on the pharmacy and its stock, but major retailers appear to be rolling it out online this week.
You can buy it online at CVS now to have it shipped. According to the checkout page in my ZIP code, it says it will be delivered by Sept. 11. Walgreens said it will be available online as soon as Tuesday and available nationwide by Thursday, Sept. 7, but at the time of this article’s writing I wasn’t able to add it to my cart. Narcan is also available at Rite Aid and ready for purchase at Walmart. If your preferred pharmacy is a smaller chain or a mom-and-pop shop, you can call to see if or when it plans to have Narcan in stock.
If you choose to buy Narcan in person instead of online, it might be behind the pharmacy counter or the front desk. It still will not require a prescription.
Who should buy Narcan?
If you use opioids, whether it’s a prescribed opioid like oxycodone or an illegal opioid like heroin, it’s recommended that you carry Narcan or naloxone on you, similar to how someone with severe allergies carries an EpiPen in case they have a severe allergic reaction. The CDC recommends that if you take “greater or equal to 50 morphine milligram equivalents per day” of a high-dose opioid, you should carry Narcan.
You should also tell the people close to you that you carry it, since they may be the ones to give it to you in case of an emergency. (You can’t give Narcan or any type of naloxone medication to yourself.)
If you know someone who uses opioids (such as a friend or a family member), you may also want to carry it in case of an emergency.
Each nasal spray cartridge of Narcan contains one dose, but it sometimes requires two doses of Narcan or naloxone to revive a person who is overdosing. Keep this in mind when deciding whether to carry the box or take the nasal sprays out individually.
Signs of a drug overdose
If you think someone may be overdosing from opioids, it’s important to first know the signs of an overdose. An overdose happens when the drug disrupts the body’s ability to carry out necessary functions, like breathing. According to the CDC, some signs of overdose in a person are:
- Small, constricted pupils.
- Loss of consciousness. (You can’t wake someone up even after shaking or yelling at them.)
- Choking or gurgling sounds.
- Slow, shallow breathing.
- Limp body.
- Discolored or blue skin (especially the lips and underneath the nails).
If you notice these signs, you should follow the next steps to adminster Narcan and call 911. Giving someone Narcan even if they aren’t overdosing on opioids shouldn’t hurt them, according to the FDA. So it’s important to err on the side of caution and administer Narcan if you believe they may be overdosing.
How to give someone Narcan
According to information pulled from the CDC, the New York State Health Department (PDF) and the Narcan website, here are the steps for administering Narcan:
- Check whether the person is responsive by shaking them, calling out to them and pushing your knuckles into their chest for five to 10 seconds.
- Lay the person on their back and tilt their head up.
- Take Narcan out of its package by peeling back the tab.
- Get a grip on the nasal spray by placing your thumb on the plunger and two fingers on either side on the nozzle. (Do not “test it” or push the plunger early.)
- Insert the tip of the nozzle into one nostril and push the plunger firmly.
- Remove it from the person’s nose and wait two minutes to see if they respond. Call 911 during this time.
- If the person does not wake up or respond to shaking, administer the second dose/second container of Narcan.
- Roll them onto their side to prevent choking and stay with them until medical services arrive.
As the CDC notes, most states have laws that protect the person who overdosed or the person who called in the overdose from legal problems associated with drug use. Paramedics and health care workers have been using naloxone for decades, and adminstering it for a person who’s overdosing can win them time to get to a hospital and potentially save their life.
