Save a Life With SSDP on International Overdose Awareness Day
August 31st
Held annually on August 31st, International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember those who have died, and acknowledge the grief of family and friends left behind without perpetuating harmful stigma about drugs and the people who use them.
Over 107,000 people died from overdose in the United States in 2023. These deaths were preventable—the criminalization and stigmatization of drugs and drug users are to blame for every one of the lives lost.
Harm reduction saves lives. Accurate information about drugs and drug use, access to lifesaving tools like naloxone (also known by the brand name Narcan) and drug checking kits, and the removal of punitive policies that discourage people from getting help are ways to prevent overdose deaths.
Harm reduction includes practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use. In addition, harm reduction is a movement for social justice built on a belief in, and respect for, the rights of people who use drugs. Harm reduction emphasizes the freedom of choice and bodily autonomy. Examples of harm reduction for overdose prevention include drug checking (i.e., Reagents, Fentanyl test strips), naloxone, and syringe exchanges. Outside of overdose prevention, we use harm reduction in our daily lives, including wearing seatbelts, using sunscreen, following speed limits, using birth control and condoms, and recycling. Harm reduction for overdose prevention should be normalized along with all of these approaches.
For more information about harm reduction or help accessing harm reduction training and supplies near you, please email ssdp@ssdp.org.
Facts About Overdose
- Fentanyl has exacerbated the overdose epidemic. Fentanyl is a strong synthetic opioid used in clinical settings since 1968 (i.e., surgery, pain management). Fentanyl is 80-100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. Fentanyl is found mostly in a powder form and can be injected, smoked, or snorted. Fentanyl is present in heroin, cocaine, and pressed pills, etc.
- Xylazine is another unwanted addition to the drug supply that is causing overdose complications, increased withdrawal symptoms, and severe skin wounds. Xylazine is a veterinary sedative not approved by the FDA for use in humans; however, it has been deen in Puerto Rico in the early 2000s, became common in Philadelphia in recent years, and is spreading around the U.S.
- Naloxone is a safe, effective way to reverse opioid overdoses. Naloxone only reverses overdoses for people with opioids in their system.
- Naloxone will not reverse a xylazine overdose. As xylazine is almost always found in combination with opioids, naloxone should still be administered whenever an opioid-involved overdose is suspected.
- Naloxone stays in the body for 30-90 mins, though opioids can remain in the body longer. An individual may still experience effects of overdose after naloxone dose wears off.
- People are 27 times more likely to die from overdose within two weeks of release from incarceration compared to the general population.
- In their first years of operation, two overdose prevention centers, run by OnPoint NYC, together intervened in 1,200 potentially fatal overdoses. Overdose prevention centers can limit hazardous public drug use, encourage addiction treatment, and save a life with overdose response.
Signs of Opioid Overdose
If you encounter someone you believe is experiencing overdose, it’s important to act fast. Call 9-1-1, administer naloxone if you have it, and stay with them until help arrives
The goal when responding to an opioid overdose is to get the person breathing again. Opioids suppress the central nervous system. When someone is overdosing, they are not responsive and their breathing is slow or stopped altogether. Providing rescue breaths along with administering naloxone is an important step to reversing an overdose.
Naloxone Prevents Overdose Deaths
Narcan, or Naloxone, is an opioid antagonist that rapidly reverses opioid overdoses. It can be administered via nasal spray, intramuscularly, or intravenous injection. Overdose education and naloxone distribution have been shown to increase the reversal of potentially fatal overdoses; one study showed opioid overdose death rates to be 27 to 46% lower in communities where education and distribution were implemented.
Administering nasal Narcan is easy. These three steps could help you save a life:
- Remove Narcan doses from packaging
- Insert into the nose of the individual experiencing overdose
- Press down on plunger
Give just one dose to start—naloxone takes 3-5 minutes to work. Continue to breathe for the individual experiencing overdose until they start breathing on their own.
If there is no response in 3-5 minutes, administer another dose of naloxone and continue rescue breathing until help arrives.
Know What’s In Your Drugs
According to the CDC, over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Fentanyl test strips can be a reliable way to check your drugs, helping to detect the presence of fentanyl before it’s too late. Be careful though: false positives (especially when testing stimulants) and false negatives can happen. In a 2017 study, out of 210 samples tested, 3.7% were false negatives. Test your substance multiple times to limit your chance of consuming fentanyl.
Good Samaritan Policies
Under Good Samaritan laws, it is legal to administer naloxone. These laws protect bystanders assisting in the emergency. Double-check laws in your local area to ensure you know the local policies to respond to an overdose death; however, it is important to call 911 and administer naloxone if you witness an opioid overdose.
Find Naloxone and Fentanyl Test Strips Near You
Access to Narcan and Fentanyl Test Strips (FTS) is crucial to save lives. Availability can vary depending on your state’s laws, so it’s important to check local regulations. Use the links below to locate resources near you. For more guidance on where to obtain these life-saving tools, reach out to ssdp@ssdp.org.
- NEXT Distro – Provides free, mail-based naloxone and Fentanyl Test Strips for personal use. To qualify, you will need to view a brief training video and answer a short quiz.
- NASEN – Locations around the U.S. that distribute Narcan and Fentanyl Test Strips
- National Harm Reduction Coalition – Locations around the U.S. and Canada that distribute Narcan.
- Check with your local health department to see if they offer Narcan or Fentanyl Test Strips
For more information about harm reduction or help accessing harm reduction training and supplies near you, please email ssdp@ssdp.org.
