Life-Saving Naloxone

If you or a loved one is at high risk for an opioid overdose, you can request a free rescue Naloxone kit from Georgia Overdose Prevention. Visit the website to request a kit.

Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can reverse an overdose from opioids—including heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioid medications—when given in time. Naloxone is easy to use and small to carry.

Naloxone quickly reverses an overdose by blocking the effects of opioids. It can restore normal breathing within 2 to 3 minutes in a person whose breath has slowed, or even stopped, as a result of opioid overdose. More than one dose of naloxone may be required when stronger opioids like fentanyl are involved.

Naloxone won’t harm someone if they’re overdosing on drugs other than opioids, so it’s always best to use it if you think someone is overdosing.

If you give someone naloxone, stay with them until emergency help arrives or for at least four hours to make sure their breathing returns to normal.

Where to Get Naloxone

Naloxone is now available without a prescription. You can buy naloxone off the shelf at some retail stores and pharmacies like CVS, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, and Walmart, or on the store websites. You can also buy naloxone online from the manufacturer of Narcan at https://narcan.com/buy.

Prices may vary, but generally a 2-dose package of naloxone will cost about $45. There are also free resources available for naloxone, including:

NEXT Harm Reduction and Georgia Harm Reduction Coalition: https://nextdistro.org/gachoice
Georgia Overdose Prevention: https://georgiaoverdoseprevention.org/request-naloxone-kit/
DBHDD First Responders: https://opioidresponse.info/get-involved/

Georgia Coastal Health District