Voices of Hope weighs in on possibility of FDA approving Narcan for over-counter-use

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – “I wouldn’t have my recovery journey or my life, employment any of those things today if it wasn’t for Narcan in the first place,” said Jimmy Chadwell.

Jimmy Chadwell is the Program Manager at Voices of Hope in Lexington, an organization that helps people in recovery stay in recovery.

It’s something Chadwell knows all too well, he says for almost 10 years he was an addict, addicted to heroin, fentanyl, and other opioids.

He says Narcan, the treatment drug that reverses an overdose has saved his life more than once.

“I’m able to be present in my family’s life today, work on my own recovery journey and it gave me another chance at life” added Chadwell.

A chance at life that Chadwell thinks everyone should have access to, whether they are using drugs, in recovery, or know someone who uses.

“We want Narcan to be available in any setting, anywhere it can be available. It’s just like having a fire extinguisher if a fire breaks out, you don’t have a fire extinguisher in hopes it would break out right but it possibly could, so Narcan is the same way” added Chadwell.

Currently, Narcan is only available through prescription – but earlier this month -the FDA opened the door to make the opioid overdose antidote available over the counter, with a preliminary assessment stating it has the potential to be safe and effective that way.

But could the treatment is readily available, and enable drug users to keep using? Chadwell says that’s a common misconception.

“I personally never saw it and thought of it as oh I can just use continually because Narcan is available and really it’s not enabling anybody to do anything except live, it’s enabling you to live to have another chance of recovery,” said Chadwell.

The FDA says it still needs additional data to make its final determination.