BOISE — Albertsons locations in Boise are the first in Idaho to train pharmacy technicians to prescribe naloxone, the drug which can reverse the effects of opioids and stop an overdose from occurring in a matter of minutes.

The new law, which goes into effect today (July 1), expands to include pharmacy techs with authority to prescribe the life-saving drug, which previously only pharmacists, physicians and nurse practitioners could do.

The technicians are specially trained to prescribe Narcan, the brand name for naloxone.

Pharmacies still have regulations when it comes to who and how they're able to prescribe the drug and they're not allowed to counsel customers on it, as a pharmacist would with other drugs, but they can look up the customer's medical profile and associated risk factors like depression or previous opioid use and bring up the conversation on possibly getting a prescription.

"We can kind of bring up the topic, we build a lot of personal relationships with our patients, and we can bring up the topic and possibly save a life," said Albertsons specialty pharmacy technician Tyler Callahan.

Narcan can stop a drug overdose quickly. Idaho is the first state in the country attempting to extend this power to pharmacy technicians, which means more people can have access to the drug, and possibly have it on hand in times of a crisis.

Narcan can stop a drug overdose quickly. Idaho is the first state in the country attempting to extend this power to pharmacy technicians, which means more people can have access to the drug, and possibly have it on hand in times of a crisis.

Albertsons already has eight trained pharmacy technicians in the Boise area to prescribe the drug and they plan to expand to include more locations.

