The precedent Honolulu has set by being the first city in the U.S. to enact a law requiring naloxone at bars and nightclubs is not one to be missed.
The sheer number of overdoses in the U.S. caused by fentanyl-laced drugs is soaring. Therefore, harm-reduction strategies are warranted. With the recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of over-the-counter sales of Narcan, getting the lifesaving drug into the hands of citizens and businesses is critical.
Considering that Narcan is safe and nontoxic, yet lifesaving in the right circumstance, there should be no reason that public health officials nationally cannot supply the drug to those in a position to help reduce the carnage.
The funding source for this initiative is particularly appropriate, given the role of pharmaceutical companies in the opioid crisis: The city will use money from two national lawsuit settlements (“Council votes to require overdose drug for Oahu bars,” Star- Advertiser, July 13).
Honolulu’s City Council sets an example for other policymakers in the country to follow. Equipping all high-risk businesses with Narcan is an important step toward mitigating this national health crisis. Other states should follow Hawaii’s lead.
Bailey Thibault
Kailua
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