AVAILABILITY OF NALOXONE IN ENGLAND

That this House was shocked by the results of a survey by Release of local authorities in England which revealed availability of Naloxone to be wholly inadequate; is aware that the World Health Organisation recognises that this medication is essential to saving lives which could be otherwise lost to opiate overdose; is concerned that drug-related deaths, most of which are from opiates, remain at record levels; notes that an average of only a dozen take-home Naloxone kits were provided for every hundred opiate­users; further notes that 18 areas provided no coverage whatsoever; commends the efforts of those local authorities increasing provision; recognises the highly effective Naloxone strategies in Scotland and Wales; and calls on the Government to launch a take-home Naloxone programme in England as a matter of urgency.