What are opioids?

Opioids are a class of drugs that reduce pain and promote feelings of pleasure and relaxation. Taking too many opioids slows your breathing, which leads to lack of oxygen in your brain, coma, heart stopping and death.

Common opioids include prescription opioids, heroin and illicit fentanyl.

Signs of an Overdose:

• Unresponsive to voice or touch
• Not breathing or slow/shallow breathing
• Discolored lips, skin or fingernails
• No pulse or very slow pulse
• Pinpoint pupils
• Clammy skin

What is naloxone?

Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is medication that works almost immediately to reverse an opioid overdose. It has few known adverse effects, no potential for abuse and can be given quickly with nasal spray. Visit this webpage to request naloxone.

How to Help Someone Experiencing an Overdose

1. Call 911.
2. Administer naloxone nasal spray by following these steps:
   1. Peel device packaging to remove device.
   2. Place your thumb on the plunger and your fingers on either side of the plunger and gently insert the nozzle in one nostril of the person.
   3. Press the plunger to spray the entire dose of naloxone into one nostril.
3. Support the person’s breathing. Be sure airway is clear and administer CPR as needed. 
4. Monitor the person’s response. Only when breathing is restored place the person in the recovery position:
   • On their side
   • Legs bent
   • Head resting on the arm on the floor

Do's and Don'ts of Responding to an Overdose

Do

• Do attend to the person’s breathing.
• Do administer naloxone once, maybe twice, if no response after the first dose.
• Do place the person in recovery position.
• Do stay with the person.

Don't

• Don’t forcefully try to stimulate the person.
• Don’t put the person into a cold bath/shower.
• Don’t inject any substance beside naloxone into the person.

Responding to an Opioid Overdose Emergency (English) (PDF)

Responding to an Opioid Overdose Emergency (Spanish) (PDF)

Important: For use in the nose only

• Do not test nasal spray device before use
• One nasal spray device contains one dose of medicine
• Each device sprays 1 time only

Step 1: Check if you suspect an overdose

• Check for a suspected overdose. The person will not wake up or is very sleepy or not breathing well.
• Yell "Wake up!"
• Shake the person gently.
• If the person is not awake, go to Step 2.

Step 2: Give first dose in the nose

• Hold the nasal spray device with your thumb on the bottom of the plunger.
• Insert the nozzle into either nostril.
• Press the plunger firmly to give the first dose.
• One nasal spray device contains one dose.

Step 3: Call

• Call 911 immediately after giving the first dose.

Step 4: Watch and give

• Wait 2-3 minutes after the first dose to give the medicine time to work.
• If the person wakes up, go to Step 5.
• If the person does not wake up:
  • Continue to give doses every 2-3 minutes until the person wakes up.
  • It is safe to keep giving doses.

Step 5: Stay

• Stay until ambulance arrives, even if the person wakes up.
• Give another dose if the person becomes very sleepy again.
• You may need to give all the doses in the pack.

How to Administer Narcan (PDF)