Naloxone in Wisconsin: Free Kits, Pharmacies and What Changed

In Wisconsin you can get naloxone, the medication that reverses an opioid overdose, free from health and human services agencies and public vending boxes, by mail, from a pharmacist without a prescription, or off the shelf at many stores. The rules behind that access have changed in the last few years, and the newest change means the pharmacy route no longer has an expiration date.

This update explains what changed, where each option fits, and how to use naloxone if you ever need to. It is general information, not medical advice. If someone is not breathing or will not wake up, call 911. For free, confidential treatment referrals at any hour, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. In a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988.

What changed for naloxone in Wisconsin?

Two changes matter most. The first is national. In March 2023 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Narcan 4 mg naloxone nasal spray for over-the-counter use, making it the first naloxone product people could buy without a prescription.¹ Other forms and doses of naloxone stayed prescription-only at the federal level.¹

The second is state-level. In September 2025 the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) renewed its statewide naloxone standing order for pharmacists. DHS said that, unlike earlier versions issued since 2016, this order does not expire, and it lets participating pharmacies dispense the 3 mg nasal spray in addition to the 4 mg nasal spray and injectable naloxone.² A standing order works as the prescription, so a pharmacist can hand you naloxone without a note from your own doctor.

Change	When	What it means for you
Narcan 4 mg nasal spray approved over the counter	March 2023	You can buy it off the shelf, no prescription and no pharmacist conversation needed
Pharmacist standing order renewed with no expiration	September 2025	Participating pharmacies can keep dispensing without a prescription, including the 3 mg spray
Free community distribution continues	Ongoing since 2019	Agencies, vending boxes and mail programs offer naloxone at no cost

Where can you get naloxone for free?

DHS says naloxone is available free through staff at agencies that provide health and human services, and in vending machines and boxes in public places. It publishes a statewide map of these locations and notes that some sites are open to the public only at certain hours or events.³ Wisconsin residents can also request free naloxone by mail through Gwayakobimaadiziwin Bad River Harm Reduction.³

The free supply is large. DHS reported in September 2025 that it had distributed more than 780,000 doses of naloxone to organizations for no-cost community distribution since 2019.² Wisconsin also has a separate standing order for nurses that lets trained nurses working outside traditional health care settings, such as local public health departments and schools, keep a supply, give it to people at risk and their families, and use it during an overdose.⁴

Many treatment providers also keep naloxone on hand and teach people how to use it. Our naloxone training page lists providers that offer overdose prevention education.

How do the pharmacy and store options differ?

Under the statewide standing order, naloxone is available for a fee and without a prescription from pharmacists at many pharmacies, and DHS notes that many pharmacy benefit plans partially cover the cost when you get it through a pharmacist.³ Over-the-counter naloxone is also sold without a prescription at many stores, including large pharmacy chains, grocery stores and big-box retailers.³

Wisconsin's standing orders cover standard-dose naloxone only. DHS does not include nalmefene or high-dose naloxone, saying there is no evidence they work better than standard dosing and that they carry a higher risk of severe, longer withdrawal. People who want those products should talk with a health care provider.⁴

If you or a family member takes prescription opioids for pain, ask whoever manages that care whether keeping naloxone at home makes sense. Our medication management page lists providers who can help with that conversation.

How do you use naloxone during an overdose?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says to give naloxone and then call 911. Naloxone can restore normal breathing within 2 to 3 minutes. CDC advises giving one dose and waiting 2 to 3 minutes for breathing to return before giving a second.⁵ DHS adds that if there is no response after two to three minutes, a second nasal dose goes in the other nostril.³

• Look for signs of overdose: the person will not wake up, breathing is very slow or has stopped, lips or fingertips look blue or gray.
• Spray one dose into one nostril with the person lying on their back.
• Call 911, then stay with the person until help arrives.
• Give a second dose in the other nostril if they do not respond after two to three minutes.

Calling 911 matters even if the person wakes up. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) explains that naloxone works for only 30 to 90 minutes, while many opioids stay in the body longer, so overdose symptoms can return. NIDA says people who receive naloxone should be watched until emergency care arrives and monitored for another 2 hours after the last dose.⁶

What comes after an overdose reversal?

Naloxone buys time. It does not treat the underlying condition. NIDA advises families of people who use opioids to keep naloxone nearby and to make sure friends know where it is, while still calling 911 in any overdose.⁶

An overdose is often the moment a person and their family start looking at treatment. Medications for opioid use disorder, counseling and peer support all reduce risk over time. Our opioid addiction treatment page lists Wisconsin providers, and our detox programs page lists places that manage withdrawal safely.

Help is available at any hour. Call 911 in an overdose, call or text 988 in a crisis, and call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for free, confidential treatment referrals.