01/28/2023
The Purchase District Health Department, Purchase Area Opioid Task Force, McCracken County Agency for Substance Abuse Policy, Four Rivers Behavioral Health-Regional Prevention Center, Turning Point Recovery Community Center, Mercy Health - Lourdes Hospital, and Baptist Health Paducah have joined together to encourage families and individuals to add an additional item to their first aid kits: Naloxone.
The risk of an overdose does not discriminate. Due to an increase of Fentanyl in the local drug supply, all drugs are at risk of being contaminated with Fentanyl. People that use illicit drugs are not the only ones at risk for an opioid overdose. Anyone can help save a life by having Naloxone on-hand.
The risk of an overdose increases if you:
• Have overdosed within the past year.
• Use Benzodiazepine, alcohol, stimulants, and opioids together.
• Use Fentanyl.
• Your tolerance has decreased from a period of abstinence (non-use).
The symptoms of an overdose are:
• Pin point pupils
• Blue nails and lips
• Cold clammy skin
• Struggling to breathe or not breathing
• Unresponsiveness
Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan or Kloxxado, is an easy-use nasal spray that temporarily reverses an opioid overdose. Naloxone targets the same brain receptors as opioids and blocks them from receiving opiates, temporarily reversing the effects on an opioid overdose until medical assistance can be obtained. There is not a maximum dose that can be used and it can be given every 2-3 minutes until there is a response or medical services have arrived.
Naloxone is safe for everyone and can be given at any age. The only thing Naloxone does is reverse an opioid overdose. Naloxone is safe to use on pregnant women and will not harm the fetus. It can even be used on pets. Which is why, even in doubt, administer naloxone!
Immediately taking action during an overdose is crucial for saving lives, but sometimes witnesses may not call 911 out of fear of being arrested or prosecuted. However, Kentucky’s Good Samaritan Law (KRS 218A. 133) protects witnesses and bystanders against prosecution for calling 911 to report a drug overdose.
There are several locations to obtain free Narcan in the region, including the Purchase District Health Department, Turning Point Recovery Center, and the McCracken County Public Library. It can also be obtained from certain pharmacies for a fee. To find a pharmacy near you, visit https://odcp.ky.gov/stop-overdoses/Pages/Locations.aspx .
To learn more about Narcan, the Purchase Area Opioid Task Force offers free Narcan trainings. To learn more, visit https://purchasehealthconnections.com/narcan-training/. Additionally, the Four Rivers Regional Prevention Center offers Opioid Toolkit trainings tailored to different audiences through the Kentucky State Opioid Response grant. Email clodge@4rbh.org for information.
If you or someone you know is concerned about the possible contamination of pills with Fentanyl, the Purchase District Health Department and Turning Point Recovery Center have free Fentanyl test strips available.
Another way to help prevent overdoses is to properly dispose of prescription medications in your home. Medicines that remain in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion and misuse, so it’s important to keep prescriptions locked up away from others to reduce access. Once prescriptions are no longer needed, safely dispose of your medications, especially if you have others in the home. You can safely dispose of your medications at a drop off location or by placing them in a drug disposal bag. To find a drop off location near you, visit https://odcp.ky.gov/Pages/Prescription-Drug-Disposal-Locations.aspx.
Be prepared in the new year and have Naloxone on hand in your first aid kit!
