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Heroin Overdose Antidote ‘Naloxone’ To Be Sold Without Prescription At Walgreens

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In a bid to combat the rising number of drug overdose deaths in the United States–nearly 52 percent of which have been linked to prescription drugs–the nation’s largest drug retailing chain, Walgreens, has decided to install medication dispensing kiosks in over 500 pharmacies that will carry the lifesaving opioid antidote known as naloxone.

Naloxone, which is often referred to by one of the brand names that it is sold under, Narcan, finds application in not only treating the victims of drug overdoses, but also in reversing the side effects of narcotic drugs administered during surgery. It is administered in the form of a nasal spray as well as through injection.

Walgreens intends to roll out its over the counter naloxone–used to treat prescription painkiller and heroin overdoses alike–program throughout the year with focus placed primarily on the company’s 24 hour locations.

While the new kiosks, which are rolling out on a state-by-state basis, are scheduled to hit 39 states and Washington, D.C., only 35 states and D.C. will have the drug overdose antidote available without prescription through the new kiosk service.

In addition to dispensing naloxone without a prescription, the kiosks will also provide customers with a convenient means by which to dispose of their unused medications.

When the company finishes rolling out its over the counter naloxone program, there will be more than 5,800 Walgreens dispensing the life-saving drug without a prescription.

For the states in which prescriptions are legally required to obtain the drug, the company announced in a press release that it is not only available, but “eager to work with regulators to help update rules to allow for dispensing of naloxone without a prescription.”

Just a few months ago, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released numbers showing a dramatic spike in drug overdose deaths in 2014. With a 14 percent increase in drug overdose deaths, the number of deaths attributed to drug overdoses in 2014 exceeded the number attributed to traffic accidents in the same year.

Over the counter naloxone will be made available at Walgreens pharmacies in the following states by the end of the year:

  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • District of Columbia
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • Wisconsin

Regulations in some states prevent Walgreens from not only dispensing naloxone without a prescription, but from installing medication disposal kiosks as well. Subsequently, the company’s “safe medication disposal kiosks” are similarly scheduled for limited availability throughout the nation come the end of the year. The following is a complete list of the states that the company plans to have installed medication disposal kiosks in by the end of the year:

  • Alabama
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • District of Columbia
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • Wisconsin

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