Narcan will soon be available over the counter. Here’s where to find it in southwest IL
As drug overdose deaths rise in Illinois and in other parts of the country, the expanded availability of an easy to use, life-saving drug could help communities better cope with the opioid epidemic.
More than 3,800 Illinois residents died of drug overdoses in the 12-month period ending November 2022, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is a 2.89% increase in reported drug overdose deaths from the previous year, and the CDC predicts the actual spike was closer to 3.51%.
A safe, effective drug has been approved for over-the-counter sale in the U.S. to counter rising overdoses. Naloxone, also referred to as the brand name Narcan, reverses opioid overdoses by displacing the drugs from the brain’s receptors.
Here’s what to know about the life-saving drug.
How can you administer naloxone?
Until 2015, naloxone was administered with a syringe and needle. This made the community education process more difficult, according to Brent Van Ham, program coordinator for the Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.
Now, naloxone can be easily administered as a nasal spray. It’s packaged so one unit equals one dose, but some people may need more than one dose depending on what they’ve taken.
“The neat part about naloxone is we are extremely lucky that it is a very safe drug…it’s so safe that it causes almost no side effects,” Van Ham said.
Because naloxone is unlikely to cause any adverse reaction, Van Ham said it’s a good idea to carry naloxone and administer it if you come across someone who’s unconscious and you think drugs may have been involved.
Naloxone won’t help someone who’s unconscious for reasons unrelated to opioid use, such as overconsumption of alcohol, but it won’t hurt them.
“Naloxone, as a drug, is an excellent tool in our arsenal against the opioid epidemic,” Van Ham said.
After you administer naloxone, it’s important to call 911 and inform the dispatchers of the situation. The person may still need medical treatment, and they’re more at risk for brain damage and death the longer they go without care.
Where can you find naloxone in southwest Illinois?
The process of switching Narcan from prescription-only to over-the-counter use “may take months,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in a March 29 announcement, but Illinois has a standing order allowing people to obtain naloxone without a prescription.
Naloxone is now generally available at many major pharmacies in southern Illinois, Van Ham said. You might consider calling ahead to make sure your nearest pharmacy has it in stock.
If you have insurance and want to use it, state officials say you might save money.
“Most insurance will cover some or all of the cost of generic naloxone and/or Narcan brand naloxone nasal spray,” the Illinois Department of Human Services website says.
The previous model requiring prescriptions could be prohibitive to some people who use drugs, Van Ham said.
“The reason it’s important, mainly, is that the landscape of drug use in America has changed, basically in the last decade. The opioid epidemic has gone through a couple stages, to where now people are not only getting into trouble with overdoses from illegal narcotics, but also legal prescriptions,” Van Ham continued.
A package of Narcan containing two doses costs about $70 at southern Illinois pharmacies, Van Ham said, but prices can vary.
Free naloxone is available at some community locations through the IDHS’ Drug Overdose Prevention Program. The Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development, located in Carbondale, offers free naloxone.
Call 833-234-6343 or text “HELP” to 833234 to reach the Illinois Helpline for substance use treatment and recovery services.
