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A few weeks ago, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first nonprescription drug called Naloxone (Narcan), available in a nose spray. Naloxone is a drug that can reverse a fentanyl overdose.
In a press release dated March 29, 2023, from the Department of Health and Human Services:
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first nonprescription, “over-the-counter” (OTC) naloxone nasal spray, Narcan. Naloxone – a medicine that can reverse an opioid-related overdose – has been shown to be a critical tool to prevent fatal overdoses, connect more people to treatment for substance use disorder, and save lives. This action by the Biden-Harris administration to make this naloxone product available without a prescription will pave the way for the life-saving medication to be sold directly to consumers in places like drug stores, convenience stores, grocery stores and gas stations, as well as online.
“We can prevent overdoses and save lives by making naloxone more accessible, and at the same time, we can ensure equitable access to essential health care,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said. “Today’s FDA action to allow access to naloxone without a prescription is another strong step forward in advancing HHS’s Overdose Prevention Strategy.”
On the surface, this may look A-OKAY, and I’m sure you’ve seen the videos of it bringing police officers back to life after accidental exposure to fentanyl.
Parents are probably also big fans of having this on hand. Countless of America’s youth have died from a fentanyl overdose. We have an epidemic on our hands, but we can continue with the status quo because it’s not yet called a pandemic.
I like this quote from the Epoch Times, “we are not going to Narcan our way out of this fentanyl crisis.” That quote is from April Babcock, who lost her son, Austen, to a fentanyl overdose. She wants it in every school and hotel room. But she still says this will not help end our opioid crisis. It’s just a bandaid.
In response to the escalating prevalence of #Fentanyl poisonings, the #FDA approved Narcan for over-the-counter, nonprescription use.
While supportive of the move, some say it isn’t enough: “We’re not going to Narcan our way out of a fentanyl crisis.” https://t.co/6Imp2csQkY
— The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) April 15, 2023
There is absolutely no doubt that this is a lifesaving drug. But it’s not going to get us out of this fentanyl crisis.
Some are even saying that this could encourage even more drug use. Addiction is ugly. Whether it be alcohol, gambling, sex, shopping, eating, or drugs. An addict will do anything to get their fix/high. And some may even feel “safe” because they have the readily available Narcon in their pocket now.
Do you think readily available Naloxone is going to fix this?
An article from the Free Beacon shares studies that drug use will likely increase because of this Biden-Harris effort to address our opioid use. It’s more like enabling if you ask me.
But naloxone does not treat addiction and may actually encourage more drug use. At least one study concluded in 2018 that proliferation of the drug increased opioid-related deaths by 14 percent in the midwest. The authors also found “that broadening naloxone access increased the use of fentanyl.”
You can tattoo the serenity prayer on an alcoholic’s arm, but it won’t make him/her stop drinking if they don’t want to or don’t seek extra help.
It also doesn’t help that we have our borders wide open, allowing the free flow of drugs into and onto America’s streets. Mayorkas, back in July of 2022, made the outlandish claim that our border was secure.
The sad truth is that it will take a colossal change in all areas; politics, health care, and religious organizations to help our very sick citizens. It may even seem hopeless to most people who will decide to turn and look the other way. I don’t know that there is one set answer to our fentanyl crisis.
Closing the border would be helpful. And while making Naloxone readily available is a nice idea and will hopefully save lives, it obviously is not the answer. Joe Biden and his administration shouldn’t be patting themselves on the back yet.
Feature Image: Marco Verch/CC BY 2.0
Scott says: ““We can prevent overdoses and save lives by making naloxone more accessible, and at the same time, we can ensure equitable access to essential health care,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said.”.. ok, let’s be clear here, Narcan does NOT prevent overdoses, it reverses them, so for the HHS sec. to make such a claim calls into question his honesty, his competence, or both..
“And while making Naloxone readily available is a nice idea and will hopefully save lives,”… sadly, as the above study shows, it will not, it will actually make the problem worse..just like needle exchanges, and other programs / policies that encourage and enable deviant behavior, it only encourages more such behavior (and it’s the lefts playbook)
NTSOG says: I agree Scott: taking some risk out of voluntarily ingesting/injecting dangerous substances can only be reinforcing in terms of that drug-taking behaviour behaviour. I too would expect rates of drug-taking to increase. It may also be that deaths will eventually increase too as drug-takers will get ‘comfortable’ with their risk-taking knowing that they have access to the magic ‘restorer’ of Narcan – until they and their mates forget to obtain it and have it ready for use. Then it will be ‘lights out’ for good.
Kevin says: Your comment about having Narcan available which “reinforces drug taking” is imbecilic.
Tell everyone who has lost a loved one to an opioid overdose if they would have wanted someone, anyone, to be around their loved one at the time they overdosed would they want someone to have access to Narcan I can pretty much guarantee you that close to 100% would say, “YES! Administer Narcan to them!!!! Please!!!! Immediately!!!!”
Here let’s use your moronic logic in other areas: we have to stop creating drugs to give to diabetics who have type 2 because it’s their behavior that’s causing their diabetes, we need to remove seatbelts from vehicles because it gives idiots who drive like maniacs a sense of safety instead of them changing their behaviors … there are thousands of similar examples.
Do yourself a favor and keep your stupid comments to yourself.
Scott says: Kevin,
I understand that you believe yourself to be the smartest person in the room, but as someone who has over 35 years of working in EMS in drug infested areas, I’m just gonna go ahead and state unequivocally that I have far more experience and knowledge on the subject than you do, and that the only stupid comments here are yours. I also understand that facts and logic are not things you do well with, and that ignoring human nature is a strong suit for you, But in the end, your failure to understand or acknowledge the facts doesn’t make them any less true.
Carol Marks says: Thank you for taking the time to read and comment. You are correct. I was being hopeful. But you are correct.
Scott says: Can’t blame anyone for hope.. I’m just a bit too jaded after 35+ years working the street to still think that way…
Carol Marks says: I totally understand.
Wfjag says: Ms. Marks – While I’m sure that in your ignorance and naivety you mean well . But, as the child of an addict (now deceased), I can assure you that the reality is very different.
Addictive drugs give you a choice – between them and everything else (family, friends, career, dreams, accomplishments and everything else). There is no in between, no compromise, no half measures. As a child of such parent, you either leave or are pulled down, too.
When the addict is so far down that there’s nothing else to lose, some of them decide to get clean and try to have what remains of his or her life. After decades of being estranged, my father finally faced his choice and got clean. We started talking again, but he died before we met again and without his ever meeting my spouse or his grandchildren.
However, fentanyl is so deadly that few will make it that far.
Liz says: From my perspective, there is no down side to providing narcan over the counter.
To quote a scene from Breaking Bad when Walter was concerned about a fly “contaminant” and his partner Jesse said, “think about what we actually do here. We might poison for people who don’t care”.
I do not think having access to narcan will make these folks more likely to take risks.
And it might save a kid or two. Couldn’t hurt.
True it isn’t a solution to the real problem. My spouse went to a nice coffee shop in Denver yesterday and some meth head came in throwing coffee around and screaming at people. The police won’t do anything because the government has decided this person can cop a squat anywhere he wants. So a family who has put their life savings into a business can watch as meth heads run their customers away. This cannot continue.
Scott says: Apparently you’re just a bit north of me Liz… Yeah, demonrat rule has turned the once nice city of Denver into a third-world shithole… And they’re doing their best to do the same to the rest of the state.
Liz says: Heh, we live about an hour to the southwest of Denver.
My spouse likes to drive to the city pretty often for coffee and the indoor gun range, Bristol cone. 🙂
Scott says: Lol, I live southeast… And I am familiar with Bristlecone
Carol Marks says: Hi Liz, thank you for taking the time to read and comment. I appreciate your thoughts on this topic. It’s a tough one for sure.
Cameron says: I don’t know that there is one set answer to our fentanyl crisis.
You had it though. Society has to stop enabling bad choices*, politicians have to be willing to shut the border down, health care should actively work at treating addiction and religious organizations can be vocal about the alternatives. Turning things around will take a lot of work because of the way things have been for decades.
*Addiction is a choice. A stupid one and I hold addicts in contempt after dealing with an alkie grandfather for years. Before anyone argues this with me, ask yourself that if it isn’t a choice, why do we have treatment available?
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