Narcan Now Available Over the Counter to Reverse Opioid Overdoses
Narcan, the trade name for Naloxone HCl Nasal Spray, was approved for over-the-counter (OTC) nonprescription use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in March, becoming the first naloxone product approved for use without a prescription. Naloxone is a medication that rapidly reverses the effects of opioid overdose and is the standard treatment for opioid overdose.
Emergent BioSolutions has announced that shipments of its over the counter, original prescription strength NARCAN® Nasal Spray 4mg are now being delivered to leading pharmacies and grocery stores, as well as online retailers.
Drug overdose persists as a major public health issue in the United States, with more than 101,750 reported fatal overdoses occurring in the 12-month period ending in October 2022, primarily driven by synthetic opioids like illicit fentanyl. Construction workers account for nearly 23% of all opioid overdose deaths. Many of these happened on the job.
When someone is having an opioid overdose, the receptors in their brain get filled and overstimulated by opioids and when these receptors are full or are “maxed out,” your brain tells your body to slow down or even stop your breathing. Naloxone works to reverse this process. It works by binding with and blocking opioid receptors to rapidly reverse the effects of opioid overdose.
According to Emergent, last year, approximately every seven minutes one life was lost due to an opioid overdose, and today it is the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. The average response time for emergency services to arrive is approximately 10 minutes.
Having NARCAN® Nasal Spray in a first-aid kit on a job site, or carrying it on the go in case of an opioid emergency, can make a difference and help reverse the effects of opioids while waiting for emergency personnel to arrive.
The manufacturer’s suggested retail price of NARCAN® Nasal Spray is $44.99 per two-dose carton, roughly $22.50 per dose.
Learn more about Naloxone. NAHB also has resources to address the opioid crisis in construction.
Latest from NAHBNow
Economics
Mar 16, 2026
Builder Sentiment Inches Higher but Affordability Concerns PersistBuilder sentiment inched up in March even as builders continue to express affordability concerns stemming from elevated construction costs and shortages of buildable lots and labor.
Advocacy
Mar 14, 2026
Trump’s Executive Orders on Housing Would Ease Affordability CrisisPresident Trump on March 13 issued two executive orders on housing to remove regulatory barriers and provide better access to mortgage credit that will help ease the nation’s housing affordability crisis.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Mar 16, 2026
Builder Sentiment Inches Higher but Affordability Concerns PersistBuilder sentiment inched up in March even as builders continue to express affordability concerns stemming from elevated construction costs and shortages of buildable lots and labor.
Economics
Mar 16, 2026
Small Gains for New Single-Family Home SizeNew single-family home size had been falling since 2015 in response to declining affordability conditions. An exception occurred in 2021, when new home size increased as interest rates reached historic lows. However, as mortgage interest rates increased in 2022 and 2023 and affordability worsened, demand shifted back toward smaller homes.
Economics
Mar 13, 2026
Flat Conditions for Open Construction JobsThe number of open positions in construction in January was flat year-over-year, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). The current level of open jobs is down measurably from three years ago due to declines in construction activity, particularly in housing.