Data from Scotland indicates that opiates/opioids are the most common type of drugs involved in drug misuse deaths, implicated in 82% of all such deaths. Most drug-misuse deaths are classified as accidental poisonings (in 89% of cases) with only 7% considered intentional self-poisoning.²¹

One step taken to address this has been the introduction of a naloxone service in October 2023 where all pharmacies in Scotland are required to keep a minimum of two naloxone kits. This should increase emergency availability in the community if naloxone is needed as an ‘antidote’ to reverse the effects of a (suspected or known) opioid overdose.^22,23

Two naloxone products are licensed in the UK for administration in non-clinical settings. Community Pharmacy Scotland has advised pharmacies should obtain branded versions as generic versions of naloxone injection do not contain needles for administration. The first line option is Prenoxad 2mg/2ml Pre-filled Syringe for Intramuscular Injection, and Nyxoid 1.8mg intra-nasal spray is the second line option.²²