California Is Selling Generic Narcan for $24

Overdose-reversal drug typically costs more than twice as much
Posted Apr 21, 2025 6:30 PM CDT
Californians Can Now Buy Generic Narcan From State
A container of Narcan, a brand name version of the opioid overdose-reversal drug naloxone, sits on a table following a demonstration at the Health and Human Services Humphrey Building in Washington.   (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

Synthetic opioid overdose deaths in California fell last year for the first time since 2018 and Gov. Gavin Newsom is hoping to continue the trend by making the overdose-reversing medication naloxone more accessible. California residents can now buy the drug, the generic version of Narcan, directly from a state website, reports the Los Angeles Times. The price from CalRx, the state's generic drug initiative, is $24 for a carton with two single-dose nasal spray devices. Last year, the state launched a program to provide free naloxone to organizations including nonprofits, universities, and first responders.

A two-dose box of naloxone costs between $45 and $70 from regular pharmacies and online outlets, the AP reports. "Life-saving medications shouldn't come with a life-altering price tag," Newsom's office said in a statement. "CalRx is about making essential drugs like naloxone affordable and accessible for all—not the privileged few." California is using $150 million from opioid settlement funds to pay for naloxone programs through 2027, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. (More naloxone stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X