Reverse Opioid Overdose with Narcan (Naloxone)
If someone takes more opioids than their body can handle, they can pass out, stop breathing, and die. Overdose can take seconds to hours. Anyone who uses opioids can overdose. Anyone at risk for having or witnessing an overdose can carry and use naloxone, the medication to reverse opioid overdose. In Washington State, If you get medical help for an overdose or alcohol poisoning, Good Samaritan laws are in place so you and the victim cannot be charged for drug use, possession, or underage drinking.
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
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.
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.
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.
Below are steps to test your drugs for fentanyl using FTS. Depending on the types of drugs you’re testing, the steps may be slightly different:
- Put a small amount (at least 10mg) of your drugs aside in a clean, dry container.
- Add water to the container and mix together. For most drugs, you need ½ teaspoon of water. If you are testing methamphetamines, MDMA, or ecstasy, use 1 full teaspoon for every 10 mg of crystal or powder you are testing.
- Place the wavy end of the test strip down in the water and let it absorb for about 15 seconds.
- Take the strip out of the water and place it on a flat surface for 2 to 5 minutes.
- Read results.
In WA State, anyone trying to help in a medical emergency is generally protected from civil liabilities by RCW 4.24.300. WA State’s 911 Good Samaritan Overdose Law RCW 69.50.315 gives additional, specific protections against drug possession charges:
- If you seek medical assistance in a drug-related overdose, you cannot be prosecuted for drug possession.
- The overdose victim is also protected from drug possession charges.
- Anyone in WA State who might have or witness an opioid overdose is allowed to carry and administer naloxone. (RCW 69.41.095)
Overdose Awareness
Recognizing 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)
Steps for an Overdose
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.
- Call 911 Immediately.
- Administer naloxone, if available.
- Try to keep the person awake and breathing.
- Lay the person on their side to prevent choking.
- Stay with the person until emergency assistance arrives.
