Naloxone Access – a FACT SHEET by the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association

Naloxone is an emergency opioid antagonist that works by reversing the effects of an opioid overdose. Specifically, naloxone prevents decreased breathing which typically happens when someone overdoses on an opioid and must be given when someone shows the first sign of an overdose. Naloxone access laws delineate how someone may legally access naloxone in a particular state or jurisdiction. This includes which individuals can prescribe, dispense, or administer naloxone and what forms of civil or criminal immunity are provided, if any, for the use of the opioid reversal drug. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have some form of naloxone access law. This fact sheet provides readers with an overview of what naloxone is and a brief overview of naloxone access law across the United States.

Read the Fact Sheet.