{"id":4721,"date":"2026-08-31T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-31T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thirstier.news\/naloxone-saves-lives-what-veterans-should-know\/"},"modified":"2026-08-31T14:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T14:30:00","slug":"naloxone-saves-lives-what-veterans-should-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=4721","title":{"rendered":"Naloxone saves lives: What Veterans should know"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Carrying naloxone can help you act quickly when every second matters<\/h2>\n

Unhealthy use of opioids\u00e2\u0080\u0094such as using them without medical supervision or for longer, in higher doses, or with greater frequency than prescribed\u00e2\u0080\u0094comes with a significant risk of overdose. International Overdose Awareness Day<\/a> (August 31) offers an important opportunity for Veterans and their family members and caregivers to learn what to do if an overdose occurs.<\/p>\n

Naloxone<\/a> is a medication designed to rapidly reverse an opioid overdose. VA provides it for free and, as of July 2026, more than 2.18 million naloxone prescriptions have been dispensed to over 820,000 Veterans. Knowing how to use this medication could save a life. In fact, since VA started making naloxone available nationally to Veterans, it has documented more than 7,700 overdose reversals with this medication.<\/p>\n

How to get naloxone<\/h2>\n

If you or someone you care about uses opioids<\/a> or nonprescribed stimulants<\/a>, you should have naloxone on hand. Here are a few ways you can get naloxone:<\/p>\n