To mark International Overdose Awareness Day 2024 – an annual campaign to remember those who have died from overdose and acknowledge the grief of family and friends who are left behind – we’re sharing information on how to:
- Reduce the risk of an overdose
- Recognise an overdose
- Respond to an overdose
HOW TO REDUCE THE RISK OF AN OVERDOSE
Start low and go slow. The strength of the drugs you are taking won’t always be obvious by looking at them – start with a small amount to test how strong it is.
Don’t use alone – stagger your use between yourselves and make sure that you have access to Naloxone.
If you stopped using and have restarted, remember that your tolerance will have changed, and you will need to start low.
HOW TO RECOGNISE WHEN SOMEONE IS OVERDOSING
Signs of an overdose can include:
- Unresponsiveness – the person is not responding to sound or touch and is not moving
- Shallow or no breathing
- Blue lips or nails
- Pinpoint sized pupils
- Pale skin
- Snoring
HOW TO RESPOND TO AN OVERDOSE
- Call 112 or 999 for an ambulance immediately
- If the person is not breathing:
– start CPR
– administer Naloxone and continue CPR - If the person is breathing: put them in the recovery position
NALOXONE – WHAT IS IT AND HOW CAN YOU GET ACCESS TO IT
- Naloxone is a prescription medication used to temporarily reverse the effects of opioid drugs
- Naloxone can help to keep a person alive until an ambulance arrives
- It can be administered either by a nasal spray or an intramuscular injection
- It’s safe to use – Naloxone only works if the person has used opioids – it doesn’t harm them if they don’t have opioids in their system
Who can get access to Naloxone?
- Naloxone is currently only available with a prescription
- If you use opioids, you can get a Naloxone kit from your pharmacist or dedicated services
For more resources and information:
Naloxone information: https://www.drugs.ie/resources/naloxone/
