Calls To Relax Restrictions On Naloxone Up As Overdose Death Rate In Victoria Rises

There is a public clamor for the relaxing of rules and regulations on Naloxone due to the increasing rate of deaths arising from overdose in Victoria. While Naloxone can reverse the effects of addictive drugs like Oxycodone and Heroin, Australian law requires a pharmacist or a doctor to dispense it over the counter.

Because of the stigma and the stringent rules in dispensing Naloxone, there are users who shy away from the drug resulting to high overdose deaths specifically in Victoria's rural areas. There are a few people training drug users the proper administration of Naloxone and one of them is Craig Harvey, a pharmacotherapist based in Geelong.

"There was eight people who died from thunderstorm asthma, and not to diminish that loss, but three people every single day are dying from opioid overdose in our community. Those overdose deaths are invisible, they're kind of forgotten and accepted," Harvey said.

ABC said there is a higher per capita increase of 48% per year in accidental overdose deaths in rural Victoria compared to the capital cities of Australia. The Coroner's Court in Victoria reported that 80% of the recorded overdose deaths in the state are accounted for by pharmaceutical drugs. Harvey said the restrictions have made it difficult for those in the rural areas to get Naloxone even when they need it.

WebMD said the overdose effects of heroin can be reversed by Naloxone and even emergency doctors have used it to save lives. Injectable Naloxone comes in a pocket-size device which can be easily carried around in the pocket for emergy use, There is also a version of Naloxone in nasal spray which is easy to use and does not require administration training.

Naloxone according to Naloxone Info, is a lifesaving antidote which is very affordable at a minimum cost of $1, and which has no potential for abuse. In other countries, efforts to train people in the use of Naloxone has saved lives and has reversed thousands of cases of overdoses.