All About Naloxone

Naloxone saves lives by reversing overdoses. The Sacramento County Opioid Coalition distributes Naloxone and promotes training through our community projects. 

Naloxone, or NARCAN, is an opioid antagonist medication designed to rapidly reverse an opioid overdose. It binds to opioid receptors and can reverse and block the effects of other opioids and quickly restore normal respiration to a person whose breathing has slowed or stopped as a result of accidental overdosing from heroin or prescription opioid pain medications.

Many lives have been saved by NARCAN, and is one of the few drugs available to the public with the capacity to reverse an overdose and potentially save the victim’s life. Sacramento County Opioid Coalition will provide you with the life-saving medicine at no cost.

The California Good Samaritan law provides protection from prosecution for those seeking emergency medical assistance during an overdose. 

Naloxone is Essential to Our Mission:
This video reviews when naloxone is used, how it is administered, and the way it works.

Resources & Access

 

Substance Use Prevention Communications Toolkit

Access to a Wide Variety of Fentanyl Awareness Campaigns and Education Programs: Safe Schools_March2023_Fentanyl

Opioid-Related Overdose Policy Guidelines and Training in the School Setting, Updated January 2022: OpioidRelatedOverdoseTraininginSchools_ADA_1_13_2022(MMH).docx 

State Law Document: Schools permission to carry and administer Narcan: California is on pages 24-28 (you will find the specific language for schools on pages 25, 27 and 28.) This document is supported by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Executive Office of the President: Naloxone-Summary-of-State-Laws-9.25.2020

Song for Charlie’s Middle School & High School Fake Pill Awareness Toolkit

Foundation for a Drug Free World Provides Free Information to Schools and Organizations with focus on Illegal Drug & Alcohol Abuse – (drugfreeworld.org)

Click here for a printable Narcan Flyer 

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Intramuscular Naloxone

 

Naloxone has been available in injection form for over 40 years.

The injectable formulation can be given into a vein (intravenously), into the muscle (intramuscularly), or under the skin (subcutaneously). When first approved, naloxone treatments required administration via a syringe and needle and were most commonly used by trained medical personnel and emergency responders.

This medicine should be given immediately upon when a suspected or known overdose of an opioid has occurred. This will help prevent serious breathing problems that can lead to death. This type of administration is known to work quicker than the Narcan nasal spray, be prepared for a prompt reaction from the victim. 

Please see the instructions for step-by-step administration.

Further Trainings