Naloxone

Reverse Opioid Overdose with Narcan (Naloxone)

• What is Naloxone?

  Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can reverse an overdose from opioids—including heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioid medications—when given in time.  Naloxone is easy to use and small to carry. There are two forms of naloxone that anyone can use without medical training or authorization: prefilled nasal spray and injectable

• How does naloxone work and how do you use it?

  Naloxone quickly reverses an overdose by blocking the effects of opioids. It can restore normal breathing within 2 to 3 minutes in a person whose breath has slowed, or even stopped, as a result of opioid overdose. More than one dose of naloxone may be required when stronger opioids like fentanyl are involved.

  Naloxone won’t harm someone if they’re overdosing on drugs other than opioids, so it’s always best to use it if you think someone is overdosing.

  If you give someone naloxone, stay with them until emergency help arrives or for at least four hours to make sure their breathing returns to normal.

• Why carry naloxone?

  Naloxone saves lives. Nearly 50,000 people died from an opioid-involved overdose in 2019. One study found that bystanders were present in more than one in three overdoses involving opioids. With the right tools, bystanders can act to prevent overdose deaths. Anyone can carry naloxone, give it to someone experiencing an overdose, and potentially save a life.

• Who should carry naloxone?

  If you or someone you know is at increased risk for opioid overdose, especially those struggling with opioid use disorder, you should carry naloxone and keep it at home. People who are taking high-dose opioid medications prescribed by a doctor, people who use opioids and benzodiazepines together, and people who use illicit opioids like heroin should all carry naloxone. Because you can’t use naloxone on yourself, let others know you have it in case you experience an opioid overdose.

• What are the signs of an overdose?

  Recognizing the signs of opioid overdose can save a life. Here are some things to look for:

  • Small, constricted “pinpoint pupils”
  • Falling asleep or losing consciousness
  • Slow, weak, or no breathing
  • Choking or gurgling sounds
  • Limp body
  • Cold and/or clammy skin
  • Discolored skin (especially in lips and nails)
• What should I do if I think someone is overdosing?

  It may be hard to tell whether a person is high or experiencing an overdose. If you aren’t sure, treat it like an overdose—you could save a life.

  1. Call 911 Immediately.
  2. Administer naloxone, if available.
  3. Try to keep the person awake and breathing.
  4. Lay the person on their side to prevent choking.
  5. Stay with the person until emergency assistance arrives.
• How can I get naloxone?

  • Narcan (Naloxone) is available at Student Health Services to CWU students at no cost. After watching the instructional video, simply call (509) 963-1881 to schedule a nurse visit 

  
  

  • People living in Washington State can receive free Naloxone in the mail by placing an order here. This mail order program is meant for people who can't easily go to a community organization or a pharmacy to get a kit and is limited to one order per person a month.

  
  

  • Naloxone is free at pharmacies for people with Medicaid/Washington Apple Health insurance. No prescription is needed.  To find naloxone near you, visit Stopoverdose.org