by Di Wang, Pharmaceutical Science and Economics double major
Last month, the Kroger pharmacy where I work was stocked with no-prescription Naloxone. A new DEA policy, introduced in autumn 2015, allows pharmacies to sell Naloxone without a prescription. Naloxone is a medication used to treat heroin overdose. Pharmacists are given the discretion to dispense the Naloxone and counsel patients on how to combat overdosage.
This policy is great news for Ohio, because Ohio has one of the highest overdose deaths with heroin. While Kroger doesn’t support heroin usage, they do support families trying to overcome the addiction.
“We want families dealing with addiction to know that they can count on having this drug available in the event that they need it.” – Jeff Talbot VP of Merchandising for Kroger.
About 2,400 Ohioans die every year from heroin overdoses. (cite source) A readily available Naloxone is the first step to lowering that statistic and saving lives. The next hope is that it will user them into treatment.
However, drugs like Naloxone are not cheap. A two dose box of Naloxone is $80 out of pocket. Customers must go through consultation with a pharmacist before the drug can be released.
Source:
WKRC. “Kroger Pharmacies to Offer Naloxone without a Prescription in the Tri-State.” WKRC Cincinnati. SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP, INC., 12 Feb. 2016. Web.
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This blog post was an assignment for Societal Issues: Pesticides, Alternatives and the Environment (PLNTPTH 4597). The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the class, Department of Plant Pathology or the instructor.