>>> THE ANTI-OVERDOSE DRUG NARCAN WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE OVER-THE-COUNTER THANKS TO THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION'S APPROVAL.

THIS MEANS PEOPLE THAT ARE TAKING OPIOIDS AND LIKELY TO OVERDOSE WILL HAVE A MUCH EASIER TIME GETTING THEIR HANDS ON A DRUG THAT CAN STOP IT FROM JOINING US IS ERIC McINTOSH, NURSE PRACTITIONER WHO ALSO WORKS WITH THE HEROINE WESTSIDE TASK FORCE.

WHAT IS THE ULTIMATE IMPACT OF THIS OVER-THE-COUNTER DESIGNATION?

>> SURE.

I THINK FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT'S GOING TO PROVIDE ACCESS.

AT LEAST SINCE 2022 , NARCAN HAS BEEN AVAILABLE WITHOUT A PRESCRIPTION .

BUT A LOT OF STATES HAVE HAD REGULATIONS AND RULES PUT IN PLACE THEY REALLY HAMSTRINGS A PERSON FROM BEING ABLE TO ACCESS NARCAN .

IT WAS BEHIND THE COUNTER , SO YOU HAD TO GO TO A PHARMACIST TO ASK FOR IT.

MANY OF THE STATES REQUIRED ADDITIONAL EDUCATION FOR PHARMACISTS TO BE ABLE TO HAND IT OUT TO PEOPLE.

NOW THAT IT'S OVER THE COUNTER , AS YOU SAID, IT IS GOING TO BE IN THE GENERAL AREA, ACCESSIBLE BY ALL.

THAT IS THE BIGGEST THING.

>> AND OF COURSE, PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH OPIOID ADDICTION, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A LOT OF MONEY.

WE KNOW THE PRICE POINT WHERE IT WILL BE AVAILABLE?

>> UNFORTUNATELY NOT RIGHT NOW.

WE WILL SEE AS HE GETS ROLLED OUT.

I THINK THE BIGGEST HURDLE WE HAVE GONE THROUGH SO FAR IS GETTING IT OUT THERE INTO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

THAT WILL BE AFFORDABILITY.

>> ONLY OTHER SIDE, YOU MAY SAY THE WIDESPREAD AVAILABILITY COULD PROHIBIT PEOPLE STRATEGIES TO TRY TO GET OFF OPIOIDS, THAT NARCAN -- WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT?

>> THIS IS PART OF THE RISK CRIME REDUCTION MODEL.

NARCAN IS THE TOOL THAT REALLY ISN'T -- I WON'T SAY NECESSARILY USED BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE OPIOID DEPENDENCE, BUT REALLY A TOOL FOR LOVED ONES , TO GIVE THEM THE POWER AND THE ABILITY TO SAVE A LOVED ONE WHO HAS OPIOID ADDICTION AFTER OVERDOSING.

THAT'S REALLY -- >> IT IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH.

YOU HAVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

ON THE BLUE LINE , AN OVERDOSE WAS HAPPENING AND YOU HAD TO STEP IN.

>> I TAKE THE BLUE LINE EVERY DAY INTO WORK.

THAT HAS BECOME MY EXTENDED COMMUNITY.

A WOMAN I HAD RECOGNIZED FOR SEVERAL YEARS ON THE BLUE LINE, SHE HAD OVERDOSED.

WE STOPPED THE TRAIN.

I CALLED OUT IF ANYONE HAD NARCAN.

NO ONE DID.

I ASKED THE CT A OPERATOR, DID SHE HAVE NARCAN?

10 MINUTES WENT BY .

THIS WOMAN'S HEART RATE WENT DOWN.

HER CONSCIOUSNESS WENT DOWN.

IF I HAD NARCAN READILY AVAILABLE, SHE WOULDN'T HAVE COME SO CLOSE TO BEING SO ILL.