Naloxone (also called Narcan) works by temporarily stopping the effects of opioids on the brain and body. It’s safe, simple, and easy to administer, and begins working immediately to reverse an overdose. Learning how to use naloxone takes only a few minutes, and it’s small enough to carry with you anywhere you go.
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Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can be as much as 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, and it’s been linked to the majority of overdose deaths across Pennsylvania and in Allegheny County.
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Because of its potency, fentanyl poses a unique risk to people who use drugs, even those with a high tolerance to opioids. Whether or not you use drugs, and whatever drugs you use, knowing the risks of the changing drug supply can keep you and the people you care about safe from a potentially fatal overdose.
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Fentanyl isn’t just a problem for people who use opioids. Many people who use drugs still don’t know that significant amounts of fentanyl have been found in cocaine, crack, meth, ecstasy/MDMA, counterfeit prescription drugs (such as pressed pills made to look like Oxy, Adderall, and Xanax), and more. Fentanyl overdose are becoming more common even among people who had no intention of using opioids. So, even if you don’t use opioids, learning how to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose can be life-saving.
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Using drugs is never free of risks, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything you can do to help keep yourself and others safe. Harm reduction programs provide test strips for detecting the presence of fentanyl. They’re effective for all drugs, and they provide an answer in minutes. Naloxone is a medication that can reverse the effects of a potentially fatal overdose, available at harm reduction centers and local pharmacies. It’s easy to carry and easy to use, and it’s the single best way to help in the event of an overdose. Remember that using drugs alone is risky, since there’s no one around to provide assistance or call for help if anything goes wrong, and remember that many different drugs may contain dangerous amounts of fentanyl. If you must use alone, call or text someone you trust to monitor for the signs of an overdose and to administer naloxone if necessary. Or if you prefer to remain anonymous, you can call the Never Use Alone hotline at 1-800-484-3731 and a volunteer will stay on the line with you and send help in the event of an overdose.