The US Food and Drug Administration last spring announced a nationwide rule that Narcan, the name brand for the medication naloxone that stops an opioid overdose, is able to be sold without a prescription. Starting this week, major retailers, including Walmart, CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid, will have it available in-store and online, making it easier to buy and have on hand.
Narcan is a nasal spray that can be administered safely to someone experiencing signs of an opioid overdose. It’s easy to use, which is why you don’t have to be medically trained to use it on someone else, similar to how bystanders are able to use EpiPens on someone experiencing allergic shock.
In about 40% of overdose deaths, someone else was present, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Deaths from opioid overdoses have surged in recent years, with deaths continuing to climb last year.
Narcan or naloxone has already been available without prescription in many states and pharmacies in response to the country’s opioid overdose epidemic. It has also been available for free at some community centers or harm-reduction sites. The hope of having it available online at mainstream pharmacies and online is that people can find it easily and have it delivered or pick it up discreetly, whether they use opioids or know someone who does.
How to buy Narcan online, and how much it costs
A box of Narcan, which contains two single-dose nasal sprays, costs $45 at all major pharmacies and retailers that carry it. How quickly you’re able to buy it will depend on the pharmacy and its stock, but major retailers appear to be rolling it out online this week.
You can buy it online at CVS now to have it shipped. According to the check-out page in my ZIP code, it says it will be delivered by Sept. 11. Walgreens said it will be available online as soon as Tuesday and available nationwide by Thursday, Sept. 7, but at the time of this article’s writing I wasn’t able to add it to my cart. Narcan is also available at Rite Aid and ready for purchase at Walmart. If your preferred pharmacy is a smaller chain or a mom-and-pop shop, you can call and see if or when it plans to have Narcan in stock.
If you choose to buy Narcan in person instead of online, it may be behind the pharmacy counter or the front desk. It still will not require a prescription.
Who should buy Narcan?
If you use opioids, whether it’s a prescribed opioid like oxycodone or an illegal opioid like heroin, it’s recommended that you carry Narcan or naloxone on you, similar to how someone with severe allergies carries an EpiPen in case they have a severe allergic reaction. The CDC recommends that if you take “greater or equal to 50 morphine milligram equivalents per day” of a high-dose opioid, you should carry Narcan.
You should also tell the people close to you that you carry it, since they may be the ones to give it to you in case of an emergency. (You can’t give Narcan or any type of naloxone medication to yourself.)
If you know someone who uses opioids (such as a friend or a family member), you may also want to carry it in case of an emergency.
Each nasal spray cartridge of Narcan contains one dose, but it sometimes requires two doses of Narcan or naloxone to revive a person who is overdosing. Keep this in mind when deciding whether to carry the box or take the nasal sprays out individually.