Melatonin is a safe effective sleep aid. Between age 20 and 70 there is a 50% drop in the production of Melatonin. 

Melatonin is a key ingredient to good sleep, health, and well being, yet it is prescription only and expensive. 30 tablets are around $40 in New Zealand, in the US a typical bottle of 240 tablets is $10.53 USD. 8 months supply for a quarter of the cost!

Additionally, the restriction in access is causing numerous social issues. We know people's sleep is being impacted by modern life, and this is driving people to use opioid products to help with sleep because of the cost.

You can get an endless supply of Zopiclone, an opioid sleeping pill, for $5 per month against Melatonin that may cost $120-160 per month to achieve the same thing. One is dangerous and addictive, the other is a natural hormone of the body.

Numerous studies have shown Melatonin to be safe and effective, even in relatively high doses, there isn't a safety issue restricting access. It looks more like drug company protection restricting access.

There are some side effects, ones that are not dangerous and users typically either manage or adjust dosage. Sometimes it is not Melatonin that is needed, other things are going on and this is where your health professional should be involved.

More recent research has shown that Melatonin can assist with stroke treatment and recovery, it is a powerful hormone in your body that does some smart things. A deficiency could be very harmful to your health

We talk about solving mental health issues in this country yet we make no move to address the key issue that creates mental health issues, disrupted sleep. Instead, we have a system that potentially creates more harm by forcing people, especially those on tight budgets, to use opioid products that are significantly more dangerous.

Please sign this so we can demonstrate to the powers that be that people need this to change and it needs serious consideration in the fight to improve people's lives and reducing harm in our community.

When we tout ourselves as more cost effective than US health care and this costs 32 times what it does in the US, we're not living up to our own expectations in this area.

Thank you! from those of us that need this and may not know we have alternatives.

Further reading: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/232138