Naloxone reverses overdoses from opioids and other drugs
What is Naloxone?
Naloxone is a life-saving medicine that reverses, or undoes, an overdose of opioids or some other drugs (e.g. morphine, oxycontin/oxycodone, fentanyl, and heroin).
Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, is often found mixed into other “street drugs”, including: heroin, meth, cocaine, ecstasy (molly), etc.
Every person using a drug that carries a risk of overdose should have Naloxone available. Emergency services and law enforcement in Central Oregon carry Naloxone, but anyone can carry it and use it to save a life. The Good Samaritan Law protects anyone who administers Naloxone to anyone else from liability for the outcome.
Naloxone comes in many forms - the nasal spray is the most common. There are also injectable forms.
Myths & Facts
MYTH: Naloxone is just for people suffering from addiction
FACT: Anyone using opioids can have an accidental overdose. Drugs don’t distinguish between people who are recovering from surgery, suffering from chronic pain, or using drugs illicitly.
MYTH: I need a prescription to get Naloxone
FACT: In 2018 the Oregon Law changed. Anyone who wants Naloxone can go to a pharmacy and ask for it. The cost is around $150 for a box of two doses of nasal Narcan. Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid) will cover this cost once every 6 months for members. Doctors can also prescribe Naloxone to go with an opioid prescription, but this does not guarantee insurance coverage.
If someone is injecting drugs of any kind and needs naloxone, please connect them with the Deschutes County Health Services Syringe Exchange Program where they can receive free nasal Narcan or injectable Naloxone, along with other safe injection supplies.
FACT: A single dose of Naloxone isn’t always enough
If you administer naloxone to someone and they do not wake up, call 9-1-1 immediately. Due to the prevalence of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, in much of the black market drug supply, some overdose events require many doses (up to 8) of Narcan to reverse the overdose. This is not a common problem, but it can happen and should be considered when working with a person experiencing an overdose.