Despite now being available over the counter, take-home naloxone programs designed to be used by potential overdose witnesses to prevent opioid-related harms, are not being bought in increased numbers, according to the authors of research published online today by the Medical Journal of Australia.
Following advice in response to COVID-19, 3 public evidence gathering days which were being arranged by the ACMD to inform reports on young people’s drug use and naloxone provision have been postponed until further notice. We are instead inviting relevant stakeholders to provide written submissions to help support these workstreams.
Brad Pommen believes vending machines can offer more than candy and chips. Pommen, the president of Nelson’s SMRT1 Technologies, introduced a machine last week that carries a mix of paid and free items such as naloxone kits, syringes, condoms and sundries like deodorant and toothpaste.
Many of us have had to address the concerns of those who feared that the supply of Take Home Naloxone would increase risk taking behaviours among opiate users, but today we’re able to point to a continually increasing global evidence base that naloxone saves lives. (Links to a PDF of DDN magazine, naloxone article on p16).
Additional funding of up to £20 million is being delivered to help reduce the harms and deaths caused by drug and alcohol use in the Scottish Government’s budget for 2020/21.
On Sunday, NSW Health issued a warning: several drug users in Sydney were being poisoned by acetyl-fentanyl – a highly dangerous substance which can be lethal in even small doses – after believing they were taking cocaine.
