Nasal Spray Could Save Lives in Indian Country

Jun 11, 20150

The statistics are grim. Prescription drug overdoses are up for the 11th straight year, and according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 44 people die every day from a prescription drug overdose-- usually involving opioid painkillers. Increasingly, patients who become addicted to prescription painkillers turn to heroin as a cheaper equivalent. The surge in demand for heroin has led to a surge in the use of adulterants like fentanyl, which in turn has contributed to a nearly 300% surge in heroin-related deaths.

The bright side is that people who do recover from opioid overdoses, and receive counseling and resources during their time of crisis, are more likely to make the effort to overcome their addiction. Law enforcement and first responders can play a key role in that "intervention moment" when they are trained to administer Naloxone (often known by its brand name of Narcan). Naloxone is not a substitute for emergency care but temporarily counteracts the opioid effects and provides more time for medical units to arrive and treat the victim. It can't be abused, and has no ill effects for someone not using opiate drugs, although it can cause withdrawal symptoms in chronic opioid users. While it's been available for intravenous administration for a long time, the recently introduced Naloxone nasal spray has encouraged much broader use.