Letters to the Editor: Making Narcan affordable is critical to fighting opioid epidemic

To the editor: Naloxone, the generic name for Narcan, can reverse opioid overdoses in a matter of minutes (“Newsom makes $24 generic Narcan available to all Californians,” April 21). This is a timely issue because, as mentioned in the article, the opioid crisis has taken lives at an alarming rate. Although we cannot be sure why the opioid overdose rate has decreased, preliminary research shows that naloxone access is critical to decreasing mortality.

As a public health student who works in harm reduction, I see this as a critical step forward. [California Gov. Gavin] Newsom has already placed naloxone in schools and signed a bill that requires workplaces to carry the drug. When someone is overdosing, every second counts. They cannot breathe, and naloxone can be the difference between life and death. This policy is not just great — it is lifesaving.

Daniela Villegas, Downey