Norway IS poised to start trials of a nasal spray that reverses the effect of a heroin overdose, in a move that could encourage other countries to follow suit, reports [s]The Guardian[/s]. Despite its oil wealth, well-funded drug rehabilitation programmes and generous welfare safety net, Norway has western Europe’s worst overdose rate. Campaigners have long been urging the government to approve the rollout of the nasal spray, which administers [b]Naloxone[/b] to people who have taken an overdose, in effect acting as a kind of liquid defibrillator.
Now, regulatory approval permitting, the Norwegian trials will offer the kit in Norway's two most populous cities, Oslo and Bergen, later this year. [b]Dr Philipp Lobmaier[/b], twho is leading the trials, said that while Naloxone was no silver bullet, he was confident it would cut down the number of ambulance cases. Britain's [b]Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs[/b] has been saying since 2012 that it would like Naloxone to be available to UK users without prescription.
[link url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/16/norway-trial-nasal-spray-antidote-heroin-overdose]Full report in The Guardian[/link]