Free Narcan (naloxone) in Texas and nearby states

Help right now: if someone won't wake up, is breathing slowly or not at all, or has blue or gray lips, call 911 and give naloxone now (steps below). In a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988, any time. SAMHSA's National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, is free, confidential and open 24/7 for treatment referrals.

The short version

• Anyone can buy naloxone at a pharmacy or store, no prescription needed. FDA approved Narcan for over-the-counter sale on March 29, 2023.
• You can often get it free: Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas and Mississippi each have a free program, and a national service mails it to people who can't get it locally.
• Using it is simple: spray it in a nostril, call 911, give another dose every 2 to 3 minutes if they don't wake up, and stay with them.
• Calling 911 is protected to some degree in all seven states, but the protection is very different from state to state. See the table.

How to use nasal naloxone, step by step

These steps follow the FDA-approved Drug Facts label for Narcan nasal spray, with details from CDC and the VA.

1. Check. Signs of an overdose: they won't wake up or are very sleepy, they're breathing slowly or not at all, their lips or fingertips are blue or gray. Yell their name and "Wake up!" and shake them gently.
2. Give. Lay them on their back. Hold the spray with your thumb on the bottom of the plunger. Put the tip all the way into one nostril and press the plunger firmly. Each device is one dose; don't test or prime it.
3. Call 911. Right after the first dose. Say the person isn't breathing or won't wake up, and give the address.
4. Watch and give again. Wait 2 to 3 minutes. If they don't wake up or breathe normally, give another dose with a new device, in the other nostril. Keep giving doses every 2 to 3 minutes if needed: the label says it's safe to keep giving doses. If you're trained, give rescue breaths (one breath every 5 seconds).
5. Stay. If they're breathing but not awake, roll them onto their side so they don't choke. Stay until help arrives, even if they wake up: naloxone can wear off before the opioids do, and they may need another dose.

When someone wakes up, they may be in sudden withdrawal: shaky, sweaty, sick to their stomach or angry. That's expected. Stay calm and keep them from using more.

Over the counter: price and coverage

• Where: pharmacies, many grocery and convenience stores, and online. FDA approved a second over-the-counter spray, RiVive, in July 2023.
• Price: Narcan launched at a suggested $44.99 for a box of two doses in 2023. Prices now vary by store; Narcan's own website listed $34.97 in 2026, and many pharmacies charge more. Pharmacy discount cards can lower the price.
• Insurance: Medicaid and many health plans cover naloxone at the pharmacy, often at no cost. Texas Medicaid's 2026 preferred drug list includes Narcan, the over-the-counter version and generic naloxone. Ask the pharmacist to run it through your plan.

Where to get it free, by state

We checked each program's own website in October 2026. Supplies depend on funding, so programs can change or pause.

• Texas: Naloxone Texas. Run by UT Health San Antonio and funded through Texas Targeted Opioid Response (HHSC). "Anyone in Texas can request free naloxone" through its online form, and it has regional pickup hubs. (MoreNarcanPlease.com, the old address, now goes to this site.) The state also has a naloxone locator map.
• Louisiana: we didn't find a state mail-order program. The Louisiana Department of Health's overdose prevention hub lists community sites that give naloxone to anyone who asks. Medicaid covers it at pharmacies.
• Oklahoma: OKIMREADY. Free naloxone kits by mail, for orders within Oklahoma. The state health department links to it.
• Arkansas: the Department of Human Services provides naloxone free to organizations that qualify for its training. We didn't find a free state program for individuals; NEXT Distro (below) mails injectable naloxone to Arkansans.
• Missouri: Get Missouri Naloxone. Request it by mail or find a pickup site. Missouri's 2026 statewide standing order tells pharmacists to send people who can't afford naloxone there.
• Kansas: Kansas Naloxone Program, run by DCCCA with state funding. Free nasal spray and training for "any resident or organization in Kansas upon request," while supplies last.
• Mississippi: Mississippi State Department of Health. Free for all Mississippi residents: watch a short training video and it's mailed in 3 to 5 business days (no P.O. boxes).
• Anywhere: NEXT Distro mails naloxone through local harm reduction partners, with a page for each state. It's mainly for people who use drugs and those close to them, and asks people who can easily get it at a pharmacy or through insurance to do that first.

Good Samaritan laws, by state

These laws are meant to keep people from being afraid to call 911 during an overdose. They mostly cover possessing small amounts of drugs, not selling, and not other crimes. They differ a lot:

State	What the law does	Who's covered	Main limits
Texas	A defense to prosecution for small-amount possession, not protection from arrest (Health and Safety Code 481.115(g), from HB 1694, 2021)	The first person to call for help, if they stay and cooperate; and the person who overdosed	Not available with a prior drug conviction or deferred adjudication, if you used it before, if you called for an overdose in the past 18 months, or if police were already arresting someone or searching
Louisiana	No charge or prosecution for drug possession or paraphernalia when the evidence came from seeking help (R.S. 14:403.10)	The caller and the person who overdosed (also protected from arrest)	Other crimes can still be charged; also protects against probation and parole sanctions
Oklahoma	No arrest solely for, and immunity from prosecution for, possession below trafficking amounts and paraphernalia (63 O.S. 2-413.1)	The caller only, who must give their full name, stay and cooperate. The person who overdosed isn't covered.	From November 1, 2026 (HB 2941), first responders must notify police after treating a suspected overdose
Arkansas	No arrest, charge or prosecution for drug possession when the evidence came only from seeking help (Ark. Code 20-13-1704)	A person who seeks help in good faith, for someone else or themselves	Covers possession only; we couldn't confirm paraphernalia. Others present who aren't helping aren't covered
Missouri	No arrest, charge, prosecution or conviction for possession, paraphernalia and some related offenses, or probation and parole violations (RSMo 195.205)	The caller and the person who overdosed	Arrest on an existing warrant and other crimes are still allowed
Kansas	No custody based solely on, and immunity from prosecution for, possession and paraphernalia (SB 419, 2024)	The caller, the person who overdosed, and people seeking help for themselves; helpers must give their name, stay and cooperate	Not for amounts that suggest dealing, or if a warrant or search was underway. News reports say people on probation or parole aren't protected
Mississippi	No arrest, charge or prosecution for possessing small amounts (under 4 grams of most drugs) or paraphernalia (Miss. Code 41-29-149.1)	The caller and the person who overdosed	Doesn't protect dealing or large amounts; police can still arrest for other crimes

This is a summary, not legal advice. Laws change, and how they're applied depends on the facts. Kansas's 2024 law is cited by its bill number because we couldn't confirm the statute section it was placed in.

Whatever the law says, call 911. An overdose can kill in minutes, and naloxone may not be enough on its own.

Protection for people who give naloxone

All seven states have laws protecting people who give naloxone in good faith to someone they believe is overdosing, generally from lawsuits and criminal charges: Texas (Health and Safety Code 483.106), Louisiana (R.S. 40:978.2), Oklahoma (63 O.S. 1-2506.2), Arkansas (Ark. Code 20-13-1804), Missouri (RSMo 195.206), Kansas (K.S.A. 65-16,127) and Mississippi (Miss. Code 41-29-319). Missouri's law also says you should call 911 right after giving it. In Oklahoma, the law we found names family members and health care providers; we couldn't confirm how the state's general Good Samaritan Act covers other bystanders.

After an overdose: getting treatment

Surviving an overdose is a moment when treatment can start, often the same day. Medicines like buprenorphine (Suboxone) and methadone cut the risk of dying from an overdose. Many emergency rooms can start buprenorphine before you leave.

• How to start Suboxone this week
• Suboxone, methadone or Vivitrol: which is right?
• Does Medicaid cover Suboxone and MAT?
• Programs offering medication in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Little Rock, St. Louis, Kansas City, Wichita and Jackson
• Free Narcan in Texas: more on Texas programs and law
• How to help someone who drinks too much

Questions people ask

Do I need a prescription for Narcan?

No. FDA approved Narcan 4 mg nasal spray for over-the-counter sale on March 29, 2023, and RiVive on July 28, 2023. Anyone can buy them.

Can naloxone hurt someone who isn't overdosing on opioids?

CDC says naloxone is safe and has no effect on someone who doesn't have opioids in their system. If you think it's an overdose, give it and call 911.

Does Narcan work on fentanyl?

Yes. Fentanyl is an opioid. Sometimes it takes more than one dose, which is why you give another dose every 2 to 3 minutes if the person doesn't wake up.

How should I store it?

Keep it at room temperature, away from heat and cold, somewhere easy to reach, and tell the people around you where it is. Check the expiration date and replace it when it expires.

Will I get in trouble for calling 911?

Each of our seven states has a law that protects callers in some situations, mostly from small-amount possession charges. The protection is narrow in some states: Texas offers only a defense in court, and Oklahoma doesn't cover the person who overdosed. Call anyway; a life is at stake.

Sources

• FDA, FDA Approves First Over-the-Counter Naloxone Nasal Spray (March 29, 2023): fda.gov; FDA Approves Second Over-the-Counter Naloxone Nasal Spray Product (July 28, 2023): fda.gov
• Narcan nasal spray, over-the-counter Drug Facts label (2023): accessdata.fda.gov
• CDC, Lifesaving Naloxone, frequently asked questions: cdc.gov
• VA, Naloxone nasal spray patient instructions (rescue breathing, recovery position): va.gov
• New England Public Media, Over-the-counter Narcan will cost $45 at major retail pharmacies (August 30, 2023): nepm.org; Narcan, where to buy: narcan.com
• Texas HHSC, Preferred Drug List effective January 1, 2026: txvendordrug.com
• Naloxone Texas, distribution: naloxonetexas.com; UT Health San Antonio on the program and its funding (September 16, 2025): uthscsa.edu
• Oklahoma State Department of Health, Naloxone: oklahoma.gov
• Missouri DHSS, Statewide naloxone standing order (June 3, 2026): health.mo.gov
• Mississippi State Department of Health, free naloxone (August 28, 2025 update): msdh.ms.gov
• NEXT Distro, naloxone by mail: nextdistro.org
• Texas HB 1694 (87th Legislature, 2021), enrolled text adding Health and Safety Code 481.115(g)-(i): capitol.texas.gov
• Louisiana R.S. 14:403.10: legis.la.gov; R.S. 40:978.2: legis.la.gov
• Oklahoma 63 O.S. 2-413.1 (current text shown in HB 2110, 2023): oklegislature.gov; Oklahoma House on HB 2941 (May 15, 2026): okhouse.gov; HB 2424 (2023), opioid antagonists: oklegislature.gov
• Arkansas Code 20-13-1704 and 20-13-1804 (unofficial FindLaw copies): 20-13-1704, 20-13-1804; Arkansas DHS, Don't Run, Call 911 flyer: humanservices.arkansas.gov
• Missouri RSMo 195.205: revisor.mo.gov; RSMo 195.206: revisor.mo.gov
• Kansas House Substitute for SB 419 (2024), enrolled: kslegislature.gov; KCUR, Kansas gets Good Samaritan overdose law (May 11, 2024): kcur.org; K.S.A. 65-16,127: ksrevisor.gov
• Mississippi Code 41-29-149.1 and 41-29-319 (unofficial FindLaw copies): 41-29-149.1, 41-29-319; MSDH on the Good Samaritan law: msdh.ms.gov