Should Narcan Be Available to Parents?

Heroin use on the rise and all recent statistics point to growth in addiction to the drug.

It's important to get past the idea that heroin is used by street "druggies" or criminals. Often, heroin use and resulting addiction is a natural progression from addiction to prescription medications. This can affect anyone, from kids to housewives.

For some, this addiction can be deadly. In fact, the #1 cause of accidental death is overdose of opiate-based drugs.

But what if you could save someone you love from dying?

Narcan is a drug that rapidly reverses the effects of opiate-based drugs. Some physicians refer to is as the "Lazarus drug" because it literally brings people back from the effects of overdose.

The controversy of this drug arises when it comes to who should have access to the drug. Is it best in the hands of doctors? Or should it be available in your pharmacy?

There is a huge push to get Narcan into the community and into the hands of family members and friends... those who are most likely to come across individuals likely to use/overdose.

This is even more important as stronger opiates are coming onto the market.

Previously, Narcan was only available via injection. But recent developments have resulted in both nasal sniffer and auto-injector options.

Dr. Stephen Anderson joins Dr. Leigh to discuss the safety and efficacy of Narcan, as well as why it is so important to make the drug available to the general public.