> I think Narcan being made OTC recently is an attempt at reducing the risk of overdose ending in death at least.
Unfortunately, we're starting to face a new monster named Carfentanil, and that monster is Narcan resistant.
That said, the move to make it OTC will definitely reduce the deaths. At risk people, can now keep it readily available. In the cases where there is someone able to call a medic for their friend, and wait for a possibly too late Narcan application, that person will simply be able to administer it immediately.
According to Wiki, carfentanil is ≈10,000 times more powerful than morphine. We're now talking 10s of micrograms for LD50 in humans. Whilst not as a potent a killer as botulinum toxin (a few nanograms), we're dealing with a substance that's essentially unmanageable.
As Wiki mentions, carfentanil is powerful enough to be classed as a chemical weapon. It's time this message was widely broadcast.
Indications are that it's easier to synthesize than morphine. If so, one doesn't run the trafficking risk with local production. Seems also it's cheaper (pushers make more profit).
(If addicts know they're taking carfentanil and risks associated with it then it's indicative of how powerful a hold the drug has over them.)
Unfortunately, we're starting to face a new monster named Carfentanil, and that monster is Narcan resistant.
That said, the move to make it OTC will definitely reduce the deaths. At risk people, can now keep it readily available. In the cases where there is someone able to call a medic for their friend, and wait for a possibly too late Narcan application, that person will simply be able to administer it immediately.