What Are Your Thoughts On Narcan?

September 2, 2015

Good morning.  Well, Pogo made sure that I got up early this morning.  There would be no sleeping in late for this mama.  Shortly after 6 a.m. he started letting it be known that he was hungry and wanted his breakfast.  First he barked at me, and when I ignored him he went out to the pantry to bark at anyone who might be out in the house.  Obviously, this got me up quickly.

On the news this morning, they have been talking about "jailbreaking" your iPhone, and the consequences.  I had to look this up on Google to find out what it is all about.  It's not illegal to do this, but it voids your phone's warranty and makes it easy for hackers to take over your information and use your data service.  If you have an iPhone, you might want to read up on this before trying it.

One of the headlines in last evening's newspaper reads "Victory in fight against fatal ODs."   Of course this caught my eye, because this particular subject is a burr in my cap.  The sub-title to the article is "Drugmaker helps Mass. pay cost of naloxone."

Amphastar Pharmaceuticals will pay the state $325,000 to help bring down the soaring cost of its nasal-spray form of naloxone (NARCAN)  that an increasing number of police and fire departments are carrying.  The price of a single dose of naloxone started out at $22, and last year that price had risen to $65 a dose. (info being copied from newspaper article)   I think it's shameful to be charging communities this huge price (which keeps increasing).

It seems like a lot of money, but it will not bring down the cost of this drug to us, the taxpayers.  Instead, it will enable the state to buy more of the drug so that more officers can carry it.   The article goes on to say "the payment will definitely help save lives and give the individuals that overdosed an opportunity to re-evaluate their lives and hopefully get into treatment." 

Note that the key words here are "an opportunity to re-evaluate."   A lot of addicts have been given several "opportunities" and it has not kept them from going back to the drugs.  Were any of the offenders sent to mandatory treatment programs?  And made to pay for these programs themselves?

 All the figures being used to show why this drug is so important are passé.  This is 2015.  The article posted figures and statistics from the years 2010 - 2013.  Why aren't we using current figures - say 2013 to 2015?   These figures are available. 

Also, how can they say that so many  lives are being saved?  There is not one figure showing how many addicts actually successfully went through treatment after being given Narcan.   I haven't heard of any of these success stories.  I have heard about addicts who were given a second (or more) chance, and then went right back to their drugs.  So tell me, where is the victory?

Just so you understand, I'm not against anything that will help get folks off drugs.  But to date, there have been no figures to prove that we are making any headway.   Instead, I've seen how addicts have been given an opportunity to keep using their drugs, knowing that we will rush in with Narcan, and save them from killing themselves.   Do any of you know of a success story?  One where the person actually got off the drugs?  Gosh, I hope so.  I could use some good news.

Enough!!  How about another freebie QP?   I couldn't help using  Kyra's beautiful kit "Seaside Sunset."   I would love to live near the ocean so that I could look out my window and see the sun set and the moon rise over the water.  I also used a gorgeous frame from Image Resources.  I hope you can use this.

Here is your download link:
Expired

Before I leave I also want to share a really cute tee shirt that I found on the web.  Gosh, it suits me and a whole lot of my friends to a "T."

Now I'm going to make a hot cup of coffee and do a bit of catching up with my morning blog reading.  So, till tomorrow, Y'all have a fantabulous day.

Hugs, Edna B.