04/02/2026
Simply touching fentanyl cannot cause an overdose.
Let's continue focusing on facts, instead of fear. When sticking to the facts, people who are responding to an opioid overdose are more likely to follow through with the encounter, rather than being too scared to act.
When someone is overdosing and the individual responding to this overdose is frightened for their own safety - this can be dangerous for the person experiencing an opioid overdose as the response is either slower or doesn't occur at all. What we can provide when responding to an overdose is rescue breathing and Narcan - which Red Project gives out for free!
Try to never walk away from an overdose. Unless you directly snort, ingest, or inject fentanyl you're going to be unaffected. Even the fentanyl dermal patches for skin take hours to start working (up to 24 hours), and they're specially formulated for that task.
Don't let misinformation cost someone their life. As someone who’s held the power of Narcan in my hands, I've seen it - how a single moment, a single choice, can mean the difference between life and death. If you’re ever in the face of an overdose, don’t hesitate. Call 911. Stay there. Act. Because if it were your life hanging in the balance, you’d want someone to do the same.
It’s worth it. It’s always worth it.
To learn more about fentanyl and how to keep yourself and others safe please visit our office, call, or visit:
616.456.9063 | redproject.org
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