If a person is given this drug it lasts for approximately an hour, and can stimulate withdrawal symptoms, as well as helping the person to start breathing again. Naloxone will not reverse an overdose from non-opiate drugs, and does not guarantee the person will not die, but it increases the odds of survival. The main benefits of naloxone are fewer deaths from opiate overdoses, and more awareness that can lead to safer injection practices by the drug user. This is why the harm reduction movement is behind getting naloxone available to opiate drug users. The use of naloxone is an unpleasant experience to most people, having it at hand means that users are in possession of a tool for immediate lifesaving intervention.
Saving lives is uppermost on the minds of an opiate users loved ones.
There are those who fear that by offering addicts greater control over their lives it will lead to greater risks. Giving users access to this lifesaving drug can prevent unnecessary deaths and develop self-reliance. There are potential risks regarding naloxone, including ineffective use that might delay or prevent enough overdose treatment. However, if a person is not breathing they are most certainly going to die without treatment due to lack of oxygen. So, the more assistance and training offered to opiate users in overdose prevention, the more lives will be saved.