Overview

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Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can reverse the effects of opioid overdose. Furthermore, it has no potential for abuse and is harmless to those who are not experiencing an opioid overdose. Since March 29, 2023, nasal naloxone has become available over the counter, increasing access to a life-saving medication. Individuals with a history of alcohol or substance abuse are among those at highest risk for opioid overdose. Thus, clinicians should always consider prescribing or recommending nasal naloxone for individuals who need to use controlled substances chronically.

This dataset includes dispensations to CT residents reported to the CT Prescription Monitoring & Reporting System (CPMRS). It provides the prescription counts and rates per 1,000 residents by town for opioid, benzodiazepine, stimulant, gabapentin, and naloxone dispensations based on the most current population data available at the end of a quarter.

Gabapentin Although not classified as a controlled substance in Connecticut, several states classified gabapentin as a Schedule V controlled substance. Since gabapentin dispensing is reported to the prescription monitoring program, its correlation to naloxone dispensing may be of interest.

Study Population: Residents in Connecticut.

Time Frame: Between 2022 Quarter 1 and 2023 Quarter 2.

Research Question: How do naloxone dispensing mirror controlled substance dispensing in the state of Connecticut?

Importance and Use:
Policy-making: Identifying high-risk areas to guide resource allocation and interventions.
Academic Research: Enabling studies on how naloxone dispensing informs public health.
Monitoring Progress: Tracking trends in naloxone dispensing before and after its OTC status.

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