Researchers plead to extend its use to all.
- Naloxone is a prescription drug that can quickly reverse an opioid overdose by restoring normal breathing.
- This medication has no effect on people who do not have opioids in their system; its use is therefore safe.
Naloxone is so effective in saving the lives of opioid overdose victims that some people worry that it will trick drug users into thinking their addiction is no longer dangerous. But a new study has just shown that this is not the case.
“It’s really hard to change people’s perception of the risk of heroin,” said Mike Vuolo, co-author of the study, published in the journal Addiction. “Even people who use heroin know it’s risky, and access to naloxone hasn’t changed that.”
“Expand access to this drug”
To reach this conclusion, more than 800,000 Americans were surveyed. Some lived in states where the use of naloxone was legal for everyone, others in states where its access was more limited. Bottom line: Those who lived in areas with widespread access to naloxone thought heroin was as risky as those who lived in areas where its use is restricted.“We shouldn’t be afraid to expand access to this life-saving drug,” conclude the researchers.
In 2019, opioid painkillers were responsible for more than 70,000 deaths in the United States, which now speaks of a serious health crisis. In Europe and especially in France, the phenomenon is much less massive, but also raises concerns.
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