What to Know About Fentanyl & Overdose
*If you are in an emergency situation with suspected overdose immediately call 9-1-1
Fentanyl is an opioid that is up to 50x stronger than heroin and 100x stronger than morphine. Fentanyl is an additive that is being added to illegal drugs. It comes through the street market in the form of white, gray or tan powder that can be injected, smoked or snorted. It must be introduced into the bloodstream or a mucus membrane in order for someone to feel the effects.
As part of our Harm Reduction program we’re offering NARCAN® boxes for free to help us prevent overdose deaths in our region. We encourage you to carry it with you because you never know when the need might arise. Below you’ll see how to use NARCAN®. When you pick up your box you’ll also receive instructions to keep with it. Learn more about Fentanyl here.
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Common Signs of Overdose
Small, constricted “pinpoint pupils”
Fall asleep or losing consciousness
Slow, weak or no breathing
Choking or gurgling sounds
Limp body
Cold, clammy and/or discolored skin
What should you do if you think someone is overdosing?
Don’t think that someone is just high because they could be in a life or death situation. Treat the situation like an overdose and do the following immediately:
- Call 911
- Administer the can of NARCAN® (pick up a can for free from any of our health department locations to keep with you)
- Try to keep the person awake and breathing
- Lay the person on their side to prevent choking
- Stay with them until emergency workers arrive
Are Your Drugs Deadly?
Drug checking strips can help you understand if fentanyl or xylazine is in a substance before you use it. Fentanyl is an extremely potent opioid that may be added to drugs like heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and pills. Fentanyl increases the risk of overdose. Xylazine is a tranquilizer that is increasingly added to products sold as heroin. It can complicate an overdose and can cause skin wounds that may be difficult to heal.
Fentanyl test strips (XTS) and xylazine test strips (FTS) can detect the presence of these substances, but they aren’t perfect. False negative and false positive results are both possible – you can still overdose even when the strip is negative. Follow these instructions closely to get the most accurate results.
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