On the recent International Overdose Awareness Day, leading drugs Charity Change, Grow, Live (CGL), wants to promote the message that death from overdose is preventable if antidote drug, naloxone is used within a short period following an overdose.  Naloxone, the leading antidote for any opiate overdose, works by temporarily blocking the effects of drug overdose and rapidly reversing a reduced breathing rate (known as respiratory depression) when caused by an opioid overdose.    The use of naloxone can buy critical time while waiting for an ambulance to arrive.

Historically, naloxone was only available to emergency medical staff but a change in the law in October 2015 means that any worker in a commissioned drugs service such as CGL can distribute naloxone without prescription directly to service users themselves.  CGL are now also able to widen the distribution of naloxone even further by dispensing it directly to service users’ family members, carers and other professionals likely to encounter drug overdose situation, such as pharmacists and on-duty Lifeguards and toilet attendants - who often witness overdoses on beaches.  

CGL is the only organisation in the UK to have a national approach to distributing naloxone.  Since February 2016, they have issued 4822 naloxone kits and successfully trained 5500 people on how to utilise this life saving treatment and respond to overdose situations.  This vital lifesaving medication has saved 164 lives in the past 6 months alone.  

Mark Moody, Executive Director of Social Care and Health at CGL says: “Today on International Overdose Awareness Day we remember lives that have been lost, but we also want to make the message very clear:  Death from overdose is preventable with naloxone.

Opioid overdoes remains a major cause of death amongst drug users – on average 2 every day in England and Wales – so it is more important than ever to raise awareness of life saving medication such as naloxone.   Training on how to use naloxone takes 10 minutes and kits are readily available nationwide.   We are proud to have been able to issue thousands of naloxone kits and train so many people to use them, and are committed to continuing to do so.”