Naloxone Saves Lives. Stop Opioid Overdose
Naloxone (Narcan) is a medication that is used to avoid opioid overdose.
Opioids dull the senses, bring on relaxation and reduce breathing and heart rate. When taken in high doses opioids can stop the body’s natural urge to breathe, which deprives the body of oxygen and can lead to death. Naloxone temporarily blocks the effects of opioids, reversing the overdose and allowing the person to breathe normally.
Naloxone only works on opioids (e.g. heroin, morphine, oxycodone, fentanyl, methadone). However, it will not do any harm to the person receiving it – so if you are unsure of what they have taken, administer it.
Naloxone is available in two forms – intranasal (sprayed up the nose) or intramuscular (into the muscle) injection.
Where can I get naloxone?
Naloxone is currently FREE, so pop into one of our NSEP locations (West Perth, Fremantle or the WAAC Van) and ask our friendly staff about accessing it.
If you are at risk of experiencing opioid overdose or of witnessing opioid overdose, it is worth having naloxone.
Before handing it out, we will have a brief education session about overdose risk factors, identifying an overdose, responding to an overdose and administering naloxone.
Naloxone will not cause any form of intoxication or high.