Anyone who has lived through hospo hell life has seen their fair share of intoxicated patrons — and importantly, knows how to handle them. But if you saw someone overdosing, would you know what to do?
There has been a growing push to stock the life-saving medication naloxone in pubs and clubs across Australia, in response to increasing risks of opioid overdoses. With more than 110,000 Aussies currently struggling with opioid dependence, the need for action is clear. But is it reasonable to expect venues to stock the drug?? Let’s dive in.
What is Naloxone, the anti-overdose drug?
I first learned about the drug earlier this week, when I saw graffiti from my Melbourne tram that said “Carry Naloxone”. At the time, I had no idea what it was.
Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is a drug that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, which can cause severe — sometimes deadly — side effects like respiratory depression and loss of consciousness It works by blocking opioid receptors in the brain, restoring normal breathing within minutes.
“Administering naloxone within a relatively short amount of time – a couple of minutes – will mean that those opioids in the body will stop working,” Dr Suzanne Nielsen of the Monash Addiction Research Centre told PEDESTRIAN.TV “The naloxone will be covering that receptor and recovering, giving that person temporary protection from the overdose.”
Naloxone is essentially your first point of action till paramedics and/or medical professionals arrive on the scene.
“Naloxone has been available for people who use drugs as part of overdose prevention for quite a long time,” Nielsen continued. “So this is a very standard practice in many countries in the world, including across Europe, in the US and Canada, we have lots of research showing that a lay person who doesn’t have specific medical expertise can be trained how to use Naloxone and can administer effectively to save lives.”
Right now, just 60 per cent of pharmacies around Australia carry Naloxone, while police officers in Western Australia and Queensland are required to carry Narcan on hand. But still it seems strange that a life saving drug isn’t a part of first aid kits everywhere.
The rise of synthetic opioids in Australia
Although Naloxone was initially catered towards users of injectables or heroin, Nielsen has found that opioid overdoses have become more prevalent in any type of drug use.
“We’ve seen another wave of education for people who have prescribed opioids, because we know that’s actually where most of our opioid deaths occur in Australia,” she said.
In fact, people who are prescribed opioids for pain are now being given Naloxone as part of “the standard, good quality clinical care”.
Increasingly, synthetic opioids like fentanyl and nitazenes are being found in recreational drugs such as cocaine, MDMA, and even cannabis vapes.
Robert Taylor, the Policy & Engagement Manager at the Alcohol and Drugs Foundation, says that harm reduction needs to face up to the widespread use of drugs.“People right across the community use drugs,” he told PEDESTRIAN.TV “Sometimes people think of drug use as something that happens over there, away from them. That’s not the case.”
A national drug strategy household survey from 2022 to 2023 found that almost 1 in 5 people in Australia had used an illicit drug in the previous 12 months.
“We know it doesn’t matter where you’re from, it doesn’t matter who you are, what job you’re in – people use substances all through the community,” said Taylor.
It’s clear that no one is safe from the risks of an overdose. Earlier this year, four people, including one teenager, were found dead in a Melbourne home with synthetic opioids in their systems. Meanwhile, 20 overdoses and seven deaths occurred in NSW and South Australia in 2022.
What do pubs and clubs think of stocking Naloxone?
The Australian Hotels Association maintains a “zero-tolerance policy towards illegal drug use on their premises”. However, if you’ve been to a single pub or club in Australia, chances are you’ll have seen, heard or smelt drugs probably not prescribed by a doctor.
Charlie Lehmann, who co-owns Sydney venues Ramblin Rascal Tavern and Double Deuce lounge, says stocking Naloxone is a reasonable ask for any hospitality venue. who owns venues in Sydney including Ramblin Rascal Tavern about his experience with seeing drugs in the hospitality industry. Luckily he hasn’t had to deal with a potential overdose, but he is still very aware that the situation may arise one day.
“I believe every preventative measure should be taken in venues, specifically because we sell intoxicating substances,” he told PEDESTRIAN.TV.
He’s never had to deal with an overdose, but is very aware the situation could arise one day — and stocking a life-saving drug would not just be looking out for his customers, but also his employees.
“We don’t want anyone dying,” he said. “Most people who work in hospitality are young, so I think that would probably be a very traumatic experience.”
Why wouldn’t you stock Naloxone in pubs and clubs?
In reporting this story, it became clear there’s a fear amongst some addiction experts that stocking anti-overdose medication may actually encourage drug use. Taylor thinks this is a false equivalent.
“A big part of this is [misunderstanding] just education for the community,” he said. “Having this life saving drug in a first aid kit doesn’t somehow encourage drug use, it simply gives you an extra tool to stop someone who may otherwise be at serious risk from potentially dying.”
Or, as Lehmann put it: “Correlation isn’t causation, you know. We stock condoms, but I don’t want you to have sex in the venue.”
Another concern is whether or not hospo staff are equipped to handle overdose situations, but as Lehmann says, “I think trying to save someone’s life is probably better than them dying on the floor.”
Right now ,the Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training course covers topics like serving and supplying alcohol responsibly, assessing customer behaviour, and refusing service when necessary. Adding a section on how to spot an overdose into the training doesn’t seem too far-fetched.
“Naloxone itself is a very simple medication to use,” Neilsen said, adding that people just need to be “able to recognise signs and symptoms, know how to use the nasal spray and to call an ambulance.”
Access to Naloxone has also been an issue. Although the government’s Take Home Naloxone initiative means you can get reimbursed when buying Narcan, there has been a global shortage of Naloxone. Nielsen is urging the federal government to step in. “We may be in a situation if we have lower levels of stock that we need to prioritise placing naloxone in those places that are at highest risk,” she said. “So perhaps nightlife venues where it is known that there are young people who might use illicit substances.”
Long term, Taylor says he wants to see Narcan available everywhere, including libraries, government buildings, universities and even schools.
With opioid overdoses on the rise, having naloxone on hand in pubs and clubs or really anywhere could be a matter of life and death.
So, next time you’re out and about, maybe take a look around. Is there a naloxone kit nearby? Should there be? Because at the end of the day, we’re all human, and we all deserve a second chance. Sometimes, that second chance comes in the form of a little vial of life-saving medication.
The post Should Pubs And Clubs Have To Stock Life-Saving Anti-Overdose Drugs Like Naloxone? appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
