A Life Saver Just Out Of Reach

Every year, tens of thousands of people die from accidental overdoses. Almost half of these overdoses are from people overdosing on prescription drugs, and over half of all overdoses are witnessed by other people. Few things are worse than a child watching one of their parents suffer through an accidental overdose when a simple antidote could have been a short trip to the medicine cabinet or CVS.

There is a drug that could be just that, a simple and safe solution for an overdose that could give thousands of people a second chance to spend time with their loved ones and to limit the chances for another overdose. This solution is named Narcan, a drug that is currently up for review by the FDA to determine whether or not to make it available over-the-counter.

Narcan (also know as naloxone) acts by reversing opioid based overdoses, and also can be successful when multiple additional drugs, such as alcohol, are involved. It is an opiate-receptor blocker, NOT a substitute, meaning that Narcan will not get you high and chances for abuse are slim to none.

Like all drugs, there are side effects. Narcan causes withdrawal symptoms for the person taking it, but that is a small price to pay for saving a life and the unpleasant feeling that results will ensure that Narcan will only be used when absolutely necessary.