Walgreens to sell heroin OD remedy Naloxone over the counter
CHICAGO -- Walgreens stores will soon start selling a drug over the counter that counteracts heroin overdoses.
Walgreens pharmacies in 39 states including Illinois will soon sell Naloxone without a prescription. The drug reverses the effects of heroin overdoses...and other opiods.
"It's a really big deal. It's giving people access," said Chelsea Laliberte, who trains people to use Naloxone though Live 4 Lali, the advocacy organization her family started after her brother's fatal overdose.
Laliberte has been working find more ways to get the life-saving drug to those who need it when they need it.
"Nobody deserves to die from an overdose," Laliberte said. "Everybody deserves a chance. My brother deserved a chance."
Stuart Kessler, a board member at Live for Lali, said his oldest son was revived with Naloxone from a first responder. He is grateful other families will have more options to save their loved ones. Kessler was happy to share his oldest son is now three years sober.
Walgreens will have the nasal spray version of naloxone. Indiana will have it available later this month without a prescription, and Illinois will follow later this year.
In addition, Walgreens will install medication disposal kiosks to address the problem of prescription drug abuse.
