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Get drug to fight ODs without a prescription
NYC pharmacies now offer the life-saving drug Naloxone, which reverses the effects of a heroin or other opioid overdose, without a prescription. Naloxone also will be available for FREE at community-based drug overdose prevention programs.
Starting this month, NYC Duane Reade and Walgreen's locations sell the overdose-reversing drug without a prescription. It is also available at Rite Aid and CVS pharmacies, but require a prescription.
Walgreen's locations beyond NYC, in the rest of NY State, also are carrying the anti-overdose drug without a prescription.
Visit nyc.gov/health and search for "prevent overdose" to find a participating pharmacy, or call 311, the NYC information hotline.
With or without a prescription, Naloxene is a lifesaver. Nationally, fatal heroin doses increased 45 percent from 2006 to 2010.
With or without a prescription, administering the drug requires some training, but that is available FREE through a New York State program announced by Governor Cuomo in 2014.
Training is available at 12 Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) Addiction Treatment Centers (ATCs) in communities across New York State, for both first responders and the general public.
Participants learn how to recognize an overdose, what to do during an overdose, how to provide rescue breathing during an overdose and how to administer Naloxone. Upon completion of the training, participants will be certified to administer Naloxone and will receive a free Naloxone rescue kit.
The drug has been carried by NYPD and, EMS First Responders since 2014, and it's on hand at hospital emergency centers.
According to Gothamist, ann injectable dose costs $3, but many police departments, including the NYPD, use the nasal spray form, which requires a higher concentration but less medical training. This form of Naloxone comes in a kit that used to cost around $20, and now costs in excess of $40.
photo courtesy Getty Images via Gothamist
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