Opioid abuse and addiction is one of the leading substance abuse problems in the United States. This includes drugs such as morphine, heroin, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and many other prescription painkillers. As this problem grows, overdose deaths grow with it. In order to slow the rise of overdose deaths from opioids, CVS announced it will begin selling Narcan, an overdose reversal drug, over-the-counter in its stores in 12 states.
Narcan in Pharmacies
Last September, CVS announced that they will be selling the FDA-approved opiate overdose reversal drug Naloxone (Narcan) without a prescription in 12 states. Prior to this, only CVS stores in Rhode Island and Massachusetts were allowed to sell the antidote drug without a prescription. Other chains such as Rite Aid and Walgreens later came out with similar programs. Next month, CVS will be stocking Narcan in pharmacies across Ohio, which marks the first of 20 states where they plan to expand Narcan sales this year.
Narcan blocks the opioid receptors in the brain and reverses the effects of heroin and prescription opiates like Oxycontin. It comes in a nasal spray and injectable form. It has typically been used by emergency room staff to treat overdoses and will be now be purchasable in a two-dose package for $40 to $50. Walgreens said that as of February 1, they now carry Narcan.
Pharmacies sell Narcan over the counter in the following states:
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Montana
- New Jersey
- North Dakota
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Utah
Morningside Recovery
Heroin and prescription drug addiction kill more Americans than any other illegal drug and we are grateful that many of these struggling addicts can be given a second chance at life. Morningside Recovery is among the leaders in opiate addiction treatment and offers a variety of services to patients dealing with addiction and co-occurring disorders.
If you are a loved one are struggling with opiate addiction and need help, please don’t hesitate to call. You can reach us anytime at 855-631-2135. We are happy to help and our treatment specialists will help you find the right treatment option for you.
