TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - It's a life-saving medication available over the counter in 46 states, including Florida and Georgia.
Now, a recent celebrity overdose is putting Narcan back in the spotlight.
After singer Demi Lovato's apparent overdose last week, her friends reportedly revived her with Naloxone, sold under the brand name Narcan.
This comes just a few months after the U.S. Surgeon General encouraged everyone to carry the nasal spray used in an emergency to treat opioid overdose. It was the first Surgeon General's advisory in 13 years.
Pharmacists we talked to say Narcan isn't just for cops and paramedics anymore. They're seeing a lot more customers who are just average people, trying to prepare.
"Right now, there is an opioid crisis going on. Narcan spray can save somebody's life," said Harsh Patel. Patel is the owner and Pharmacy manager of Care RX Pharmacy in Tallahassee.
He says, when seconds count during an opioid overdose, Naloxone spray can be the difference between life or death.
"You inhale the Narcan spray via your nostrils," said Patel. "It directly goes into the bloodstream immediately and reverses the effects, so that's very important. Your respiration can come back up and you'd be able to breathe and save somebody's life."
The opioid crisis isn't going away. Last fall, President Donald Trump declared it a "public health emergency."
Naloxone is easy to administer and in most states, it's now available over the counter, but one issue is still the price.
"[It's] somewhere around $200," said Patel.
The good news: most insurance plans cover Naloxone and many community-based organizations or public health programs provide the drug for free. Patel says anything that's tried-and-true should not be difficult to get.
"You can give the flu shot to somebody without having to have a prescription. If we go in that direction, I think it will save more lives," said Patel.
If you're thinking about keeping Narcan on hand but you're worried about having kids in the house, here's something important to know: Naloxone only works if a person has opioids in their system. That means, If Narcan is given to a person who has not taken opioids, it will not have any effect since there is no overdose to reverse.
