Opioid overdoses can happen to anyone, anywhere, and recognizing the signs and knowing how to respond can save lives. This post will guide you through the signs of an opioid overdose, how to respond, the protections offered by Good Samaritan Laws, and additional resources for prevention and harm reduction.
Signs of an Opioid Overdose
Recognizing the signs of an opioid overdose can save lives. Here are some critical indicators:
Small Pupils
Cannot Be Woken Up
Slow or Absent Breathing
Cold or Clammy Body
Choking or Coughing
Discoloration of Lips/Nails
Dizziness and Disorientation
Responding to a Suspected Overdose
Shout, Shake, Sternal Rub:
Shout: Call out the person’s name or ask loudly if they are okay.
Shake: Gently shake their shoulders to see if they respond.
Rub: If there is no response, make a closed fist and rub vigorously on the center chest/sternum to cause slight pain.
Opioid Overdose Reversal Using Narcan
Call 911: Medical personnel are needed for all potential overdose emergencies.
Prepare Narcan: Hold the nasal spray with your thumb on the bottom plunger.
Administer Narcan: Tilt the person’s head back, insert the nozzle into one nostril, and press the plunger firmly to spray.
Save a Life! You're Protected by Good Samaritan Laws
CA Health and Safety Code HSC § 1799.102: "No person who in good faith, and not for compensation, renders emergency medical or nonmedical care at the scene of an emergency shall be liable for any civil damages resulting from any act."
HSC § 11376.5: A person will not be charged with drug possession or use crimes if that person acts in good faith and seeks medical assistance/emergency medical services for another person experiencing a drug-related overdose.
The Best Way to Prevent Overdose is Treatment
KCS Health Center offers behavioral health and medication for alcohol and opioid use disorder services. KCS services include:
Care Coordination
Group and Individual Counseling
Psychiatry
Assistance with Medi-Cal Enrollment
Connect with KCS Health Center to Get Started: (714) 503-6550
How to Use Fentanyl and Xylazine Testing Strips
Step 1: Prep
Put 10 mg of the substance (if Meth or MDMA) in one teaspoon of water.
For Cocaine or other drugs, use two teaspoons of water for every 100 mg of powder.
The safest way is to test everything you have.
No Scale? Use a Penny: 10 mg = Make Lincoln's hair white with powder!
Step 2: Test
Hold the blue end of the test strip and dip the wavy end into the water for 15 seconds.
Be sure only to dip up to the wavy lines.
Wait 2 minutes until you can see lines show up in the middle of the strip.
Step 3: Results
Reading the results is the same for both fentanyl and xylazine strips.
One Red Line = Positive for fentanyl or xylazine
Two Red Lines = Negative for fentanyl or xylazine
One line may be lighter than the other. This is still a negative result.
No red lines means the test is invalid.
Disclaimer: This is for harm reduction use only. It cannot detect every fentanyl analog nor can it detect other synthetic opioids. A negative test result does not mean a sample is safe to consume. No drug is 100% safe.
Comments