Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday that California residents can now buy naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, for $24 through the state’s prescription website, CalRx.
Naloxone is a medication that blocks the effects of opioids and can quickly reverse an overdose.
“Life-saving medications shouldn’t come with a life-altering price tag. CalRx is about making essential drugs like naloxone affordable and accessible for all — not the privileged few,” Newsom said in a statement.
The announcement comes after a program launched last year that made naloxone available to government entities and businesses. The initiative is also a part of Newsom’s plan to crack down on opioid use.
Similarly, a bill signed into law by Newsom last year may require California workplaces to have naloxone or any similar medication approved by the Food & Drug Administration available in first aid kits by 2028.
According to the governor’s office, for the first time in California, data through June 2024 showed a decline in synthetic opioid-related overdose deaths from drugs such as fentanyl and tramadol.
This is a reversal from a trend of increased synthetic opioid-related deaths in the state from 2018 through June 2023.