College-age adults in the U.S. are more likely to abuse opioids than any other age demographic, making Narcan, new opioid-reversal medicine, essential on college campuses and surrounding areas.

According to the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, people ages 18 to 25 reported the highest past-year opioid misuse prevalence among all age groups, at 7.3%. That translated to 2,494,000 people ages 18-25 who reported using heroin or misusing prescription pain relievers.

However, on March 29, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first over-the-counter naloxone nasal spray to reverse overdoses of opioids, including street drugs such as heroin and fentanyl, as well as prescription drugs including oxycodone. The medication is commonly referred to by the brand name Narcan, the device created by Emergent BioSolutions that delivers the drug.

Symptoms of an opioid overdose can include unresponsiveness, shallow breathing, limpness, slowed heart rate and blue or graying skin. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), in 2021 more than 75% of the approximately 107,000 drug overdose deaths involved opioids. Opioid overdoses have become the most common causes of overdose deaths in the U.S.

The first versions of naloxone without a prescription became available in September and is expected to become more widely available at pharmacies around the country. The Narcan brand can be purchased in two-dose packages. The medicine, which is administered through the nose, is largely considered safe with no repercussions even if someone is not having an overdose.

According to Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and Kansas Department of Health and Environment, opioid overdose deaths accounted for 1,581 of the 2,163 overdose deaths in Missouri in 2021 and accounted for 428 of the 678 overdose deaths in Kansas in 2021. Both are sharp increases from 2020 with a nearly 15% increase in Missouri and a 68.5% increase in Kansas.

With naloxone becoming over the counter and more accessible to the general population, many groups have started to implement policies to increase safety in communities. At the Kansas City, Missouri city health department the medication is now available for free through a dispenser. In Ozarks-area cities, they set up free Narcan vending machines where you can insert a voucher for the medication.

This access to free naloxone for the general population is important to combatting opioid overdose deaths. At the current over-the-counter price of around $40 to $50, some experts raise concerns about the price being too high. A report from the Kaiser Family Foundation, found that 6 in 10 uninsured nonelderly adults with an opioid use disorder have low incomes. Over a third of them had incomes 100% to 200% below the federal poverty line. Even though the price of the over-the-counter medication is less than the wholesale prescription cost, which runs upwards of $100, it may still be too much to allocate for these uninsured adults.

Throughout the KCMO region, police officers carrying Narcan has become increasingly more common, with the Kansas City Police Department announcing last June that all its patrol officers would carry Narcan. In addition, security officers have access to the medicine in case of emergency.

Currently, experts suggest if you or someone you know is at risk of an opioid overdose, whether by prescription or illicit opioids, they should consider carrying naloxone on them. If you find you are in a place where you must administer naloxone by nasal spray, use one dose and call 911 for further instruction. Missouri does have a “Good Samaritan” law that will protect people from prosecution for drug possession or paraphernalia.

​Ultimately, current research shows that increased access to naloxone is associated with a significant decrease in opioid overdose deaths. Promoting access to naloxone in non-healthcare settings, like the community programs being put in place, increases the likelihood that the individuals who do need access to the medicine can get it.

​If you are struggling with substance abuse call or text 988 for confidential help in finding resources. Rockhurst’s Safety and Security Department can be contacted for either emergency or non-emergency purposes, including those related to Narcan, via the regular campus phone system by simply dialing extension 4010. If you are off campus and wish to contact the Safety and Security Department, you can do so by dialing 816-501-4010.