Below is the full text we will submit to the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Gil Kerlikowske:
Dear Mr. Kerlikowske:
In 2006, more than 26,000 American lives were lost to the preventable tragedy of accidental drug overdose. This is the highest number of overdose deaths ever recorded. The crisis now claims more lives every year than firearms, homicides or AIDS and is now the second leading cause of injury-related death in the United States. Prescription opioid drugs are driving the growing increase in deaths every year, yet the federal government remains passive when presented with simple, cost-effective solutions that would significantly reduce the number of these deaths. We are presenting this petition to urge you to begin working with the FDA to expand access to the opiate overdose reversal drug naloxone. Naloxone, currently available only with a prescription, is highly effective at reversing accidental overdoses caused by opiates such as Oxycontin, methadone and heroin, and it should be made available without a prescription.
We applaud your efforts to draw attention to the urgent and critical nature of the overdose crisis in America. You are aware of the problem, we are aware of the problem. We now present you with a safe, sensible, cost-effective solution to immediately reducing the number of accidental deaths every year. Legislation introduced in Congress in June by Rep. Donna F. Edwards (D-MD) would also expand access to naloxone and task the federal government with implementing a plan to reduce drug overdose deaths. Tens of thousands of American lives are at stake. We are counting on you to take action right away.
Mr. Kerlikowske, you have the power to take immediate and concrete action to help save thousands of lives. We urge you to use your position of leadership and power to rally the FDA and other relevant federal agencies to review the thirty year track record of outstanding safety and efficacy of naloxone and to then reclassify it and make it available without a prescription.
