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posted by on Saturday February 13 2016, @02:11PM   Printer-friendly

In order to help fight the heroin epidemic in the northeast United States, Kroger supermarkets and CVS pharmacies will carry the anti-overdose (opioid antagonist) drug naloxone (trade name: Narcan) over the counter:

Ohio-based grocery chain Kroger Co. said Friday it will make the overdose-reversal drug naloxone available without a prescription in its pharmacies across Ohio and northern Kentucky, a region hard-hit by deadly heroin. Kroger said more than 200 of its pharmacies will offer naloxone over the counter within days. "We want families dealing with addiction to know that they can count on having the drug available in the event that they need it," Jeff Talbot, Kroger vice president of merchandising, said in a statement.

Ohio fire crews and other first responders use naloxone thousands of times a year to revive opioid overdose victims. Ohio overdose deaths jumped 18 percent in 2014, one of the nation's sharpest increases. Those on the front lines of the battle against heroin's spread have increasingly supported allowing and educating families and friends of addicts to administer naloxone in emergencies.

State regulators in Ohio and Kentucky have allowed the drug to be sold over the counter. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, joined Kroger officials at a Cincinnati grocery store for the retailer's announcement. Portman has been pushing a multi-pronged heroin bill in the Senate that includes expanded availability of naloxone. "This marks an important step in our fight to combat addiction and we all need to continue to work for a bottom-up, comprehensive approach to the heroin epidemic," Portman, from the Cincinnati area, said in a statement.

CVS said recently it will soon offer naloxone without a prescription at its Ohio pharmacies.

Naloxone became available over the counter in Australia on February 1.

In the U.S., there are currently a patchwork of state laws which govern access to Naloxone.

In the U.K. as of 1 October, 2015, "...[A]ny worker in a commissioned drug service can now distribute naloxone without prescription."

Related: Alarming Rise in Death Rates for Middle-Aged White Americans


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  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Saturday February 13 2016, @04:52PM

    by MichaelDavidCrawford (2339) Subscriber Badge <mdcrawford@gmail.com> on Saturday February 13 2016, @04:52PM (#303705) Homepage Journal

    and across the Columbia in Vancouver, Washington. Around here the Fred Meyer chain is a subsidiary of Kroger.

    A while back I watched up-close and personal while three young men shot up. Two of them left, then the third was screaming in agony all night long. He'd told me of how hard his childhood was, I'm not surprised he sought comfort in drugs, but he sure wasn't finding that comfort.

    The Taliban sells opium to finance its activities, I once read they make $400M/year. This has driven down the cost of heroin. The Portland Police Bureau focusses on getting addicts into rehab, their main focus is really the dealers.

    --
    Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
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  • (Score: 3, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 13 2016, @05:41PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 13 2016, @05:41PM (#303723)

    That's how CIA financed taliban's fight with soviets; than it came home as it always does.

    • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 13 2016, @05:44PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 13 2016, @05:44PM (#303725)

      It also just opened a new silk road through Ukraine.

  • (Score: 2) by PinkyGigglebrain on Saturday February 13 2016, @07:31PM

    by PinkyGigglebrain (4458) on Saturday February 13 2016, @07:31PM (#303756)

    Ironic isn't it that under Muslim beliefs and Islamic law, which the Taliban claims to support and enforce, heroin is forbidden.
     
    The hypocrisy of the worlds major religions is the main reason I don't follow any of them.

    --
    "Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @01:44AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @01:44AM (#303899)

      To use it locally - yes it is, What's wrong with using it as a weapon? It was pioneered by British during opium wars with China. Propaganda was exactly like current one as well - anglos claimed they fight for free markets. Well, now Taliban fight for free markets till the last surviving anglo. Nothing much to do with faith though.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 15 2016, @10:51PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 15 2016, @10:51PM (#304923)

      The hypocrisy of the worlds major religions is the main reason I don't follow any of them.

      Surely a better reason is that they are all fucking bullshit.