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
- Narcan is now over the counter, and can be obtained with or without prescription at local Pharmacies: CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid and Amazon.
- Email Sacramento Opioid Coalition with your inquiry: [email protected]
- Harm Reduction Services: 2800 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento (916)456-4849
- SANE: Safer Alternatives Thru Networking and Education: 4433 Florin Rd, Ste 740, Sacramento, CA 95823 (916) 397-2434
- An online and mail-based harm reduction service: nextdistro.org
- Get Naloxone Now website offers information and 20 minute trainings
- Organizations may apply to DHCS, Naloxone Distribution Project for free bulk Narcan at: www.dhcs.ca.gov/individuals/Pages/Naloxone_Distribution_Project.aspx
- CDC: Reverse an Opioid Overdose with Naloxone: cdc.gov/stopoverdose/naloxone/
- National Harm Reduction Coalition creates spaces for dialogue and action that help heal the harms caused by racialized drug policies:harmreduction.org
Substance Use Prevention Communications Toolkit
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
- Organizations may apply to DHCS, Naloxone Distribution Project for free bulk Narcan® at: www.dhcs.ca.gov/individuals/Pages/Naloxone_Distribution_Project.aspx
- National Fentanyl Awareness Day | May 9th
- Bunk Police Documentary What’s in my baggie?
- Vice Documentary Benzo Dope and Tranq: The Next Wave of the Overdose Crisis
- You are protected by the Good Samaritan Law: Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention Laws
- Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office: 1PillCanKillSac.com
- Responding to an overdose basics: Responding to Opioid Overdose – National Harm Reduction Coalition
- Song for Charlie: SongforCharlie.org
- Fentanyl Awareness (dea.gov)
- SAMHSA Improving Cultural Competence
- Prescribe Naloxone, Save a Life: Prescribetoprevent.com
- Improving Opioid Prescribing | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
- Factsheet CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain
- Tools for Medical Personnel – Sacramento County Opioid Coalition
- Pain Management Directory – Sacramento County Opioid Coalition
- DanceSafe: Dancesafe.org
- Never Use Alone: Neverusealone.com
- The Bunk Police: Test Kits & Harm Reduction
- You are protected by the Good Samaritan Law: PDAPS – Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention Laws
- Harmreduction.org/issues/fentanyl
- National Fentanyl Awareness Day | May 9th
- Fentanyl Awareness (dea.gov)
- Sacramento Community Resource List with Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Services GI-BHS-SUPT-Community-Resource-List.pdf (saccounty.gov)
- Sacramento County System of Care for Substance Use Treatment: Monday-Friday 8am-5pm (916) 874- 9754, After Hours: 1-(888) 881-4881
- Harm Reduction Services: 2800 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento (916)456-4849
- SANE: Safer Alternatives Thru Networking and Education: 4433 Florin Rd, Ste 740, Sacramento, CA 95823 (916) 397-2434
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
- The National Harm Reduction Coalition is a great resource to learn more about Naloxone and more information for learning about treatment and prevention.
- The California Good Samaritan law provides protection from prosecution for those seeking emergency medical assistance during an overdose.
- Overdose Prevention, National Harm Reduction Coalition
- Guide To Developing and Managing Overdose Prevention, The National Harm Reduction Coalition