Nationwide, medical professionals, legislators, and activists are working to fight the opioid crisis. Over 80,000 people died from opioid-related overdoses in the United States in 2022. Though drug overdose deaths fell from 2022 to 2023, there is still a lot of work to be done to help people dealing with opioid use disorder (OUD) and protect communities.
In addition to nationwide efforts, individual states have also established programs to reduce the harms related to opioid misuse. In New Jersey, there are programs that make naloxone available for free and teach people how to administer the medication. Harm reduction efforts like these save lives.
Background facts about Narcan and usage
It’s important for everyone to know what Narcan is and how to use it. While the medication has been gaining attention lately, there are still a lot of questions and misconceptions worth addressing with more details about Narcan and its usage.
What is naloxone, and how is it administered?
Naloxone is a medication for rapidly reversing opioid overdoses. When someone administers naloxone to a patient who is overdosing on opioids, the medication blocks the effects of those opioids. The opioids remain in the person’s system, though, so someone nearby should still contact emergency responders right away.
Opioid overdoses often cause death through respiratory failure. The person overdosing experiences slowed breathing or stops breathing entirely and doesn’t get enough oxygen to the brain. Naloxone saves lives by reversing this symptom. Within two to three minutes of being administered, naloxone can help the person begin breathing normally again. Administering naloxone gives the patient time to receive additional medical attention. It’s important to keep several doses of Naloxone on-hand in case patients need several doses during a fentanyl overdose.
Naloxone is available in injectable and nasal spray forms. Narcan, a brand name naloxone medication, is a nasal spray. With an injectable, the person administering the medication must either draw up a dose from a vial or use a pre-filled syringe. Both types of injectables are available. Once the syringe is ready, the person injects the naloxone into the patient’s muscle, under the skin, or into a vein. With a nasal spray, the person inserts the nozzle into the patient’s nostril and sprays the medication while the patient lies on their back.
How is it stored and handled safely?
Naloxone will safely last on the shelf between 18 months and two years in the right conditions. Keep it at room temperature, between 59 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. You should keep it away from direct sunlight and adhere to the expiration date on the packaging. Since the medication should not get too hot or too cold, it’s generally best to avoid storing it in your vehicle. Store the naloxone somewhere you can easily access during an emergency so you can administer it to the person overdosing as quickly as possible.
If using an injectable form of naloxone, handle the needle carefully. Avoid touching the tip of the needle to anything other than the patient’s body at the injection site. Don’t open the naloxone packaging until you’re ready to administer the medication.
Community overdose prevention efforts through education
One of the most common forms of harm reduction is community education. When communities know more about the opioid crisis, they’re better equipped to support community members dealing with OUD or other opioid misuse.
Why naloxone education matters for communities
In New Jersey, there’s an emphasis on naloxone education. Attending training sessions on naloxone helps community members better understand opioid overdoses and how they can respond if someone nearby appears to be overdosing on opioids. Increasing the number of people in a community who have naloxone and know how to use it increases the odds that someone will be able to intervene during an opioid overdose.
In 2018, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy began requiring school districts serving any grades between nine and 12 to have naloxone available. They must also adopt policies for administering the medication to any students or other people at school who appear to be experiencing an opioid overdose. Under these requirements, students do not need to have direct access to naloxone. Certified school nurses are primarily responsible for storing and administering the medication, and other trained school employees will administer the naloxone if a nurse is unavailable.
A New Jersey Assemblywoman, Aura Dunn, put forward a bill that requires colleges to maintain a supply of naloxone nasal spray. The schools would each need to designate a campus medical professional to oversee their naloxone programs, and that medical professional would then designate other people on campus to administer naloxone as needed in emergency situations. The designated college community members would need training on safely handling and administering naloxone.
What does training entail?
Residents across the state can find local online and in-person training sessions on how to use naloxone. The participants at local community training programs get naloxone kits, training on how to recognize an opioid overdose, and education on properly administering naloxone. Sometimes, the training sessions are in community buildings like senior centers and libraries, while other sessions are over Zoom so people can attend without traveling.
How does access to this harm reduction resource benefit communities?
When community members don’t know how to recognize an opioid overdose or administer naloxone, people overdosing on opioids are much less likely to receive the life-saving interventions they need in time. First responders typically carry naloxone and have training on how to use it properly, but they may not arrive in time to save someone who’s overdosing. Making naloxone more accessible and educating more community members on opioid overdoses can save lives.
Resources for New Jersey
Beyond community naloxone training, there are additional resources for harm reduction in New Jersey. Those at risk for opioid overdoses and their loved ones may find the resources especially valuable.
Naloxone365 Program
Over 650 pharmacies in New Jersey participate in the state’s Naloxone365 program. Anyone 14 or older can go into these pharmacies and get naloxone anonymously for free.
The participating pharmacies that stock Narcan in NJ include:
- ACME pharmacies
- Sam’s Club Pharmacies
- Shoprite Pharmacies
- Walmart Pharmacies
- CVS Pharmacies
- Walgreens Pharmacies
- Rite Aid Pharmacies
- Stop & Shop Pharmacies
- Sav-on Pharmacies
Search the full list of participating pharmacies to find one near you and get naloxone for free.
New Jersey residents can also request naloxone by mail. The New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition (NJHRC) will mail naloxone for free to anyone in New Jersey who submits a request by calling or texting. The naloxone package is discreet, and the request stays completely confidential.
Fentanyl test strips
One of the risks to opioid users is unknowingly using opioids laced with fentanyl. Fentanyl is a very potent synthetic opioid that, when laced with other drugs like heroin and oxycodone, greatly increases the risk of fatal overdoses. People often don’t know that there is fentanyl in their drug supply and consume potentially life-threatening doses. Fentanyl test strips help people determine whether their drugs contain fentanyl so they can make more informed choices about their drug use.
New Jersey residents can get free fentanyl test strips in the mail from the NJHRC. All they need to do is submit a confidential request.
Narcan NJ vending machines
There are also Narcan vending machines throughout the state where people can access several harm-reduction tools, including Narcan, for free. The 4-hour Healthcare Kiosks in Middlesex County have free Narcan, hygiene products, fentanyl and xylazine test strips, and wound care supplies for those who need them. These vending machines are open all day to make Narcan and other supplies more accessible.
Ophelia’s role
The opioid crisis comes up in the news and other media often, but those stories rarely discuss treatment options for people dealing with OUD. Evidence-based medication as addiction treatment (MAT) gets overlooked despite its effectiveness.
At Ophelia, we’re trying to change that. We believe in making OUD treatment more accessible so more people can get the help they need. Naloxone is an invaluable tool for reversing opioid overdoses, but patients will still be at risk for more overdoses without comprehensive treatment. Our role is making that treatment more accessible and affordable.
Providing convenient, affordable OUD care
People dealing with OUD may not seek treatment because they are unable to reach an in-person care facility. There are many areas of the country that don’t have any local providers offering addiction care. For some patients, money is also an obstacle. Treatment can be expensive, leaving low-income patients feeling like they have no options.
By offering online OUD care and accepting Medicaid and insurance, Ophelia is putting treatment within reach for many more patients. You don’t need to travel or navigate in-person appointments. Through Ophelia, you can get customized OUD treatment from the comfort of your home. All it takes to get started is a quick call to determine if you’re eligible.
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