Get Narcan!
Narcan/Naloxone qualifying certification
National Overdose Prevention and Education will send you a free Narcan (Naloxone) spray kit to your registered California address. To qualify you must pass a simple test showing you know how/when to administer this drug. We charge $7.99 to cover the shipping cost. Note: Our current supply allows us to ship to California residents only.
Step 1
Watch this 11 minute video showing how to adminster Narcan (Naloxone) in case of a drug overdose. Understanding this is essential to receive your free Narcan Kit.
Step 2
Take a short five qustion true-false quiz to show you understand how and when to adminster Narcan.
Step 3
Pass the quiz so we know that you understand how and where to administer Narcan. Get your certificate and Narcan kit.
Info
Narcan (naloxone) nasal spray can quickly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. It is so powerful that some states and cities give it away for free to help save lives.
When someone stops breathing after an opioid overdose, Narcan blocks the effects of opioids on the brain. That can result in the person quickly breathing again.
You can now get Narcan without an individual prescription in every U.S. state. But the retail price can exceed $120, which can be a dealbreaker if you have to pay for it out of pocket.
If you, or someone you love takes opioids — whether it’s prescription pain medication like oxycodone or a potent street drug like fentanyl, there are ways to get free Narcan to have available in case of an emergency. You may qualify to have a nonprofit like N.O.P.E. mail it to you for free (based on availability.)
Is it a good idea to have Narcan at home?
Yes. If you or someone you care about takes opioids, it is a smart precaution to keep Narcan at home. It is a similar solution to having a fire extinguisher in a kitchen or an automated external defibrillator (AED) kit in a public place to help those who suffer cardiac arrest. There’s no downside to being prepared.
As with any medication, you’ll want to keep Narcan away from children and pets.
Drug overdose deaths have soared during the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. saw an estimated 100,306 drug overdose deaths during the 12-month period ending in April 2021 — an increase of nearly 30% from the same period a year earlier, according to the CDC. Of those deaths, about 75% were overdose deaths from opioids.
Research suggests the pandemic has been especially hard on people with substance use disorder. But opioid overdose deaths dropped 14% in states that enacted laws to make Naloxone easier to get, according to a independent national study.
Where is Narcan available for free?
A few states have programs that send free Narcan to any resident who requests it. Some county public health organizations and state departments of health have partnerships with pharmacies or clinics that offer free Narcan to residents. Here are a few examples:
1. Ohio has a program called HarmReductionOhio. If you are an Ohio resident, you can order naloxone online and receive it in the mail.
2. The Delaware Division of Public Health will send Narcan to any resident for free if they can’t otherwise get it — provided they watch an online training video and pass a short test afterward.
3. Iowa requires residents to have an online video consultation with a pharmacist before they can get free Narcan. The program is through the Iowa Department of Public Health and the University of Iowa Health Care.
4. Nebraska has a website that can direct its residents on which pharmacies around the state offer free naloxone nasal spray.
5. Minnesota has a website that helps its residents find clinics that offer free naloxone, as well as pharmacies that sell it.
The city or county you live in also may offer free Narcan.
Examples include:
1. The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment will mail Denver residents Narcan if they request it using this online form.
2. In Philadelphia, a program called Narcan Near Me provides vending machine-like dispensers at city library branches. You press a few buttons on the kiosk and receive a free Narcan kit. A grant from the CDC funds the program, touted as the first of its kind, WHYY reported.
3. The Chicago Department of Public Health is partnering with the Chicago Public Library to provide library-based free Narcan distribution. The city is launching the program with wall-mounted boxes of Narcan kits in 14 library branches and aims to expand to 27 by the end of 2022. Chicago lost 1,303 people to opioid overdoses in 2020, the highest number on record.
If you are between the ages of 18 and 65 and live in an area where Narcan isn’t available through a community-based distribution program like those above, you can get a prescription online through GoodRx Care.
How do you get Narcan for free?
If you have health insurance, check your plan first to see if and how you’re covered. Your next best bet is to contact a public health organization, such as a state or county health department. Nonprofit organizations are another option. NEXT Distro’s mission, for instance, is to help at-risk people find ways to access free or low-cost Narcan. A map on its website can help direct you. NEXT Distro is only set up to assist those without health insurance and who have limited resources, Jamie Favaro, the group’s founder and executive director, tells GoodRx Health.
If you live in San Francisco, for example, NEXT Distro’s policy would prohibit it from mailing you free Narcan. That’s because the San Francisco Department of Public Health has a partnership with the National Harm Reduction Coalition to deliver free Narcan to city residents, Favaro says. But if you live in a remote part of California and need Narcan, NEXT Distro could mail you a supply.
You also could visit any major pharmacy and ask a pharmacist if Narcan is available for free. Some pharmacy chains — such as Walgreens, CVS and RiteAid — are involved in state programs that give out free Narcan. Your pharmacy also may have information about discounts or coupons. For instance, GoodRx currently has coupons at pharmacies that will bring the price of Narcan down to about $47. Naloxone also comes as an injectable version and is cheaper this way. With a GoodRx coupon, two doses of injectable naloxone may be less than $30 at some pharmacies.
Does health insurance cover Narcan?
Generally, yes. Health insurance often covers Narcan, but some health plans may have copays. Others may have a $0 copay. Check your plan for details.
In all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Medicaid covers some form of naloxone. At last count, 23 state Medicaid programs covered all 3 naloxone formulations, including Narcan, according to a 2018 study from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Some Medicaid programs cover Narcan for family members or friends of a Medicaid enrollee who could benefit from it.
Medicare will usually pay for Narcan under Part D prescription drug plans or a Medicare Advantage plan, but it depends on the plan you have.
How is Narcan administered at home?
If someone is suffering an opioid overdose, you need to use Narcan immediately and then call 911 (or have somebody else call 911 while you administer the spray).
Fortunately, Narcan was designed to be easy to use. As Narcan’s instructions suggest, peel back the package to remove the device. It’s a small white spray bottle, with a tiny red plunger.
Lay the person on their back before giving them Narcan. With one hand, you should tilt the person’s head back and provide support under the neck with your hand. With your other hand, you place and hold the tip of the nozzle in a nostril until your fingers touch the base of the person’s nose. When you press the plunger firmly, the dose will release into the person’s nose.
Remove the spray bottle and turn the person on their side. Your work is (hopefully) done, but you may start chest compressions or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while waiting for an ambulance to arrive. If you’re not sure if you should start CPR or other rescue measures, ask the 911 operator. They can tell you whether it’s appropriate to do so.
There’s only one dose per bottle, so you only need to spray into one nostril. If you need to administer another dose after a few minutes because the person isn’t responding, you’ll have to use a new spray bottle. See the instructions for more details.
What are the effects I should expect after administering Narcan?
If someone gives you a dose of Narcan, you may feel some side effects, such as:
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Nasal congestion or swelling
- Higher blood pressure
- Fast heartbeat
If a person is physically dependent on opioids, a dose of Narcan can cause them to begin to experience withdrawal symptoms. Because of this, you should always see a healthcare provider after someone gives you Narcan.
How quickly does it work?
Naloxone should work on the person you’ve given it to within 2 to 3 minutes. But it’s not a substitute for emergency medical care.
While naloxone can seem to work miracles and bring people back to life, the danger is if it doesn’t fully work the first time and the person needs a second dose. Narcan’s manufacturer recommends that people who receive even one dose get checked out by a healthcare provider after being revived.
Narcan’s effects can wear off in about 60 to 90 minutes, and that may cause a return of breathing problems. This is especially the case if a person took a long-acting opioid that can stay in their system for hours after taking a dose. A risk of overdose symptoms returning is why medical staff should monitor the person for about 2 hours after receiving Narcan.
Does Narcan expire?
Yes. Narcan lasts for 36 months (3 years) before it expires, if stored properly. However, be sure to check your package of Narcan for an expiration date. The date may be shorter than 3 years, depending on when it was manufactured. If stored properly, Narcan can last up until the expiration date on the package.
Can I use expired Narcan?
Yes. Studies suggest that you can use expired Narcan safely, and that it is often just as effective. That said, if you have expired Narcan, you should seek out a new supply, to be safe. But if someone needs Narcan and expired naloxone is all you have, you should use it.
What are other forms of naloxone?
In 2021, the FDA approved Zimhi, an inject-able form of Naloxone. Zimhi has a higher dose of Naloxone when compared with Narcan and may be especially helpful in cases of synthetic opioid overdoses, such as fentanyl. In 2023, the FDA approved Nalmefene (Opvee), another more potent nasal spray (similar to Narcan) that stays in the system longer, cutting down the need for multiple doses. These are both now available (2024) and is part of the drug class called opioid antagonists.
Another option is an auto-injector called Evzio. It’s an FDA-approved naloxone pen that caregivers can use to treat a person experiencing an opioid overdose. As mentioned earlier, naloxone also comes available in a generic injectable form.
The bottom line
Narcan, a brand-name nasal spray version of naloxone, has been credited with saving many lives after opioid overdose. If you’re at risk of an opioid overdose or are around someone who is, Narcan should be in your medicine cabinet or close by when needed.
A growing number of cities are offering free Narcan through kiosks at public libraries, and a handful of states have free Narcan programs. Depending on where you live, it may not be as easy to get free or low-cost Narcan, but you may qualify to have a nonprofit group send it to you if you’re uninsured or have low income. Check your health plan and ask your local public health department or a pharmacist where you might find free Narcan near you.