CPR
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Emergency Medical Response
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Harm Reduction TrainingNaloxone training and awareness
course What is Narcan? Naloxone (also known as Narcan®) is a safe medication that can save someone’s life by reversing the effects of an opioid overdose. It only works on opioids, such as heroin, pills and fentanyl, but it is safe to use even if opioids are not present. If you are worried you or someone you know may be at risk of an opioid overdose, you can learn how to use Narcan to help prevent overdose. Fentanyl awareness training Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin. It is short acting and cannot be seen, tasted or smelled when mixed into other drugs. While pharmaceutical fentanyl is prescribed for severe pain and end of life care, non- pharmaceutical fentanyl is produced illicitly and is now common in the illicit drug supply. The presence of non-pharmaceutical fentanyl in New York City has dramatically increased the number of overdose deaths, and fentanyl is now the most common drug involved in overdose deaths. In 2020, 1,580 New Yorkers died from a fentanyl-involved overdose. Avoid an Overdose Fentanyl use can increase your risk of overdose, especially if you do not regularly use opioids. Anyone who uses drugs that may contain fentanyl, even occasionally, may be at risk of overdose. Fentanyl has been found in many different drugs, including heroin, cocaine, crack, methamphetamine and ketamine. It can also be found in pills from nonmedical sources, pressed into counterfeit pills to look like prescription painkillers or benzodiazepines, such as Xanax® Klonopin®, and Valium®. Reduce your risk of overdose: • Test your drugs using fentanyl test strips. • If positive, consider not using. If you do plan to use, start with a small dose and go slowly. • Avoid using alone and take turns. • Avoid mixing drugs. • Keep naloxone ready and on hand. |