FDA Approves First Over-the-Counter Naloxone Nasal Spray
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Narcan, 4 milligram (mg) naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for over-the-counter (OTC), nonprescription, use – the first naloxone product approved for use without a prescription. Naloxone is a medication that rapidly reverses the effects of opioid overdose and is the standard treatment for opioid overdose. Today’s action paves the way for the life-saving medication to reverse an opioid overdose to be sold directly to consumers in places like drug stores, convenience stores, grocery stores and gas stations, as well as online.
About time.
Yes, it is about time. Speaking of time, ODs among people 65 or older have been on the rise since 2000. According to a study published by JAMA:
Biosynthesis is being applied to hemp to increase its potential to produce other compounds besides THC and CBD, such as Cannabigerol (CBG) and Cannibinol (CBN):
Opioid prescriptions for those 65-or-older appear to be linked in some way to greater than normal reductions in cognitive functioning due to aging. This raises the possibility that substituting cannabinoids for opioids for pain relief might pose a remedy:
Research done at the University of Oregon shows nematode worms’ cannabinoid systems cause them to respond to food the same as humans:
Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan intend to test the use of CBD for pain relief for injured dogs.
Fido needs his medical card too, I always say. A million times I’ve gone on long walks with the guy and he could never partake with me. But he’d chew and eat on bits and pieces of grass on our walk while his daddy would smoke his.
P.S. I think our good buddy Duncan has been surfing out on Wall Street comment sections . . . his personality is noticeable, or there are two of him.
Genetics plays a role in opioid addictions:
Shocker. Well, it fits with what we know already. A strong (stronger than I was willing to admit) genetic link, but requires some trauma coupled with exposure to drugs to trigger the addiction. Pretty much the same for everything.
Modified or altered ibogaine molecules were tested in mice and showed reductions in addiction and depression symptoms:
Psilocybin works by binding more strongly than serotonin to the 5-HT(2A)R serotonin receptor:
Australian researchers surveyed 3,148 medicinal marijuana patients to get their assessments of the herb’s overall effectiveness with responses showing significant improvements in quality of life:
The biology of heroin withdrawal symptoms has been revealed by researchers in South Carolina. Withdrawal is a motivator in drug seeking behavior. Eliminating it stops one link in the chain of events to heroin’s continued use:
Researchers in Bangkok, Thailand have developed an edible coating made from encapsulated CBD that can preserve freshness in strawberries:
Researchers at Mt Sinai Hospital revealed that gene manipulation takes place with frequent opioid use. The study focused on the chronic pain regions of the brain. In the future, opioid prescriptions for chronic pain are likely to be discouraged in favor of non-opioid drugs or treatments that are available, such as CBD, or with drugs that will be available with more R&D. Curing addiction will help bring one or more aspects of the drug war to an end.
A bit of a rant! This study is about gene manipulation from opiate withdrawal. It appears to be an effect of “cold turkey,” withdrawal which is common practice among today’s physicians who can’t be bothered to manage a tapered withdrawal of opiates. So, is the problem from opiate dependence or is it the cold turkey approach? It’s not clear from the study as far as I can tell.
I was never prescribed oxycontin, only time-release morphine. A pain contract and random drug testing kept me from abusing the drug. I needed pain relief and was careful to make sure I never broke my contract for fear of losing out on opiate-based pain management. Tylenol and/or non-steroidal anti-inflammatories are mostly bullshit and offer little relief in my case.
To me, this quest for non-opiate pain relief is a reasonable goal. However, is it the best care and result for patients with chronic pain? It seems more about removing pain management from the skill-set and tool box of doctors so they don’t have to use valuable time to manage their patients with opiate prescriptions. Drug dependence is NOT the same thing as addiction. Addiction while problematic can be medically managed.
My docs knew I had a history of substance abuse when they prescribed MS Contin for well over a decade, ending in 2013 and kept me on a short leash. I absolutely hated random piss-testing, but I never failed ONE. Why? Because pain relief was more important than misusing the pills to get high. The opioid epidemic was spawned by lack of physician management of patients. There’s no reason to have patients selling their pills for cash if there’s proper management.
So, what’s the most common non-opioid pain management substance used by chronic pain patients? For me, it’s binge drinking strong ales to run away from sciatica and the mental misery that accompanies it. Lucky for me, I can stop drinking when I want to or need to. I haven’t worn socks or underwear for over five years due to sciatica and I struggle with daily activities which tends toward a very sedentary lifestyle. For me, opiate-based therapy allows me to move better and helps with pain-related depression.
CBD? Not much of a benefit for me. I’ve used it orally as edibles or tinctures as well as patches and pills. Yet to discover a dose that’s helpful that doesn’t also include lots of THC. I bought a bunch of Kratom pills a few months ago and to my pleasant surprise they help get me through my difficult days. Been careful to keep dosing moderate and infrequent to avoid Kratom dependence. But, the Kratom provides opiate-like relief and is far superior to the
the non-opiate drugs docs want to prescribe to replace opiates. I’m using Kratom prn, or as needed.
I have traditional Medicare which means I get to choose if/when I see a doctor. I have made the decision that if they won’t manage my pain, they won’t manage my care either. Probably not the smartest move but it’s better than dealing with a profession that doesn’t want to actually do their damn jobs. The opioid epidemic IMO was initiated and created by time-stressed physicians.
Give me a call, James. I am interested in how you are using that Kratom. Have some of those same issues myself. Would have tried it already, but for a lack of guidance.
Hey Mark, how’s things in Washington? In 2016 the DEA was preparing to place Kratom in Schedule I. However, Kratom users created such a public fuss that the DEA backed off. Many use it as a way to get off opiates and others like myself use it as an opiate substitution.
Kratom tickles mainly the Mu opioid receptors and can cause tolerance. The internet is filled with Kratom users talking about the horrors of Kratom withdrawal. Many people have used it for years with good success. PhD Jahan Marcu, a molecular pharmacologist wrote a great article you can find on Project CBD titled “Kratom, the CBD of opiates? It was Jahan’s article which gave me confidence that Kratom was worth trying out.
I’m using capsules, whereas many experienced users take it in powder form. Onset of action is slower with capsules. Without scales it’s easy to know my dose as each capsule I take has .75 grams of powder. Kratom at lower doses acts much like a stimulant, and at higher doses (7-grams and more) it’s more sedating and more pain-relieving. I’ve struggled to get to higher doses due to nausea. I’ve found that 3 grams is a dose I tolerate easily and that works for me. It helps me move my arthritic hips and knees much better and offers about 5 or 6 hours of relief.
Kratom like opiates is also constipating. I always take a stool softener like Docusate Sodium or Psyllium fiber in a glass of water when I use it.
I’m using a brand called Klarity Kratomn out of L.A.. Like any other supplement that’s unregulated you really don’t know what you’re getting. There have been reports of salmonella-contaminated batches in the past. There’s three types of Kratom based on the leaf-vein colors. There’s red vein which is considered the best analgesic of the three and there’s green vein and white vein which all contain alkaloids that can mimic codeine.
I’ve experienced opiate withdrawal in 2013 from over a decade of morphine and it wasn’t a fun time. That memory keeps me from daily use of Kratom. Many do use it everyday but if you establish tolerance you need to be aware that stopping suddenly is going to cause withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms can be managed just like opiates simply by a gradual tapering of the dose. I’ve noticed on rare times when I use it two days in a row that the same dose doesn’t quite give the same relief.
The best part about Kratom relief is the knowledge that one has the ability to manage pain a bit, WITHOUT requiring a medical appointment or prescriptions. You’re the boss! Kratom is way more healthy than my occasional run-from-the-pain beer binges. Adding some RSO to Kratom if needed works well too.
Like all medications it’s a good idea to start slow and find your sweet spot. I’ve found that a moderate dose (3-grams) that offers stimulation also gives me some weight-bearing pain relief. That 3-gram dose got me outside doing yard work. The first time I tried a 7-gram dose I spent a few hours in bed in the fetal position wondering when I was going to vomit. I never did, but I learned that you need to raise your dose gradually if you need higher doses.
Surprisingly, I’ve found Kratom at moderate dosage more euphoric than morphine. The sensation is not unlike a really nice Indica flower, i.e., a flower with sedating terpenes like myrcene. And, adding a few tokes of smoke can enhance the overall experience.
I’m lacking expertise in recommending a good reliable brand. The Klarity Kratom I’m using seems fine, but I don’t know if it’s the best quality available. I got mine in a smoke shop in town and that’s what they carry. The internet has lots of options.
As you are aware, the contract you make when using a substance that tickles opiate receptors is tolerance-development. If you understand that you’re much better off. My use of Kratom is restricted to days when my mind is playing pussy-bitch-oh-poor-me I hurt. Having a ready “rescue” plan and pills makes a huge mental difference in quality of life. Start low and go slow is best advice I can give.
Typing “Project CBD Kratom” into a search engine will take you to Jahan Marcu’s article.
Take care, hope this helps.