Opioid deaths are at an all-time high in America. Just last year, the opioid death rate topped 112,000 people. Teens all across America are dropping like flies due to laced drugs that they unknowingly bought. In 2022, it was reported that approximately 22 teens died a week from accidental drug overdoses.
Thankfully, there is a drug that is used to combat the effects of an opioid overdose. The name of that drug is Naxolone, or as it is more commonly known, Narcan. Narcan is a nasal spray that is used to temporarily reverse the effects of an overdose. For a while, Narcan was difficult to get, but as of May 2023, the FDA approved the first over-the-counter Narcan spray.
In this day and age, Narcan is becoming one of the most important drugs in America. Narcan should be everywhere and in almost every single place of business. Narcan should have a place in every first aid kit. This should not be a federal law, but an ethical requirement. Here are some of the places where having Narcan on hand could be beneficial:
Grocery Stores/ Department Stores:
Grocery and department stores are some of the most crowded places in America. In places like this, you never know when an emergency could happen. While most of these stores have protocols in place in the event of an overdose, they might not have the right resources to help prevent a death.
Huge grocery store chains, such as Market Basket, do not carry Narcan for use in the event of an emergency. Narcan could be an invaluable resource for these businesses to have. It would significantly increase the chances of survival for the person who overdosed if they were to be able to be treated with Narcan immediately.
Restaurants/ Fast Food
Opioid overdoses in public are becoming increasingly common, and Narcan being available in public places could help combat this issue. Restaurants and fast food chains would benefit from having Narcan. If you go to any city, and to any main street, odds are there are going to be numerous restaurants. If each of those restaurants had Narcan and properly trained staff, it would help combat rising Opioid overdoses.
It is the same with fast food restaurants. Fast food restaurants tend to be more popular in less economically developed areas. And in these areas, there tends to be more drug abuse and overdoses. If it became a company policy to carry Narcan in first aid kits, then it would help combat overdoses in public areas.
Schools/ Learning Centers
It is an unfortunate reality that kids these days are doing more drugs than ever. With the rise in popularity of marijuana cartridges, smoking, and vaping, one can never be sure whether or not the thing they bought is safe. And sadly, kids are doing these things in school more and more. Kids buy drugs from people off the street and don’t realize that it has been laced with Fentanyl until it’s too late.
Thats why it should be federal policy for the nurse of every school to carry Narcan, and be trained in administering it. Luckily for the students at Pentucket, the Nurse’s Office has a supply of Narcan in the case of an emergency.
With opioid-related deaths on the rise, you can never know when disaster may strike. That’s why I believe that it should be a moral responsibility for Narcan to be ready and available for businesses and other places to use. Some may argue that increased availability of Narcan may promote drug use. But if you are using that line of reason, wouldn’t Band-Aids promote cuts?
