A new state health campaign began Monday which encourages friends and family of opiate addicts to carry Naloxone, a nasal spray that reverses the effects of an overdose. But NewsChannel 5 found that it is not as readily available as advertised.
Naloxone, which can be obtained without a prescription in Ohio, is in stock at Walgreens and Discount Drug Mart stores throughout Northeast Ohio. CVS touted that it is in all of their Ohio stores, but NewsChannel 5 only found it in stock at two locations in the area (13027 Lorain Avenue in Cleveland and 27120 Bagley Road in Olmsted Township). Most CVS pharmacies said they had to order it, which could take at least a day or more.
“Hopefully people will understand that it’s good to keep it in their house if they have someone that possibly has a need for it," said Tom Lamb, a pharmacist and owner of Sand Run Pharmacy in Akron.
Lamb has carried Naloxone for the past four months but he said the demand has been low. Without insurance, he sells the nasal spray for $50 a dose. With insurance, it can be obtained at little or no cost.
“It’s very easy to use, anybody can do it," he added.
"For months I demonized myself that I didn’t save him,” said Fred Di Marco of North Olmsted. His son Nick died last year from a fentanyl-laced heroin overdose, two days before Di Marco was supposed to attend a county program to learn about Naloxone and obtain a dose for free. Di Marco wanted to have it on hand in case Nick overdosed.
“Every second of every day, I don’t have my son," he said.
Most counties in Ohio have a county-run opiate drug program called Project DAWN where one can learn about opiate addiction, how to administer Naloxone and obtain a dose for free.
CVS said they expect to get shipments of Naloxone into all of their Northeast Ohio stores in the next week.
