What is Narcan and how do I use it?

Naloxone (brand name Narcan) is a medication that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose in a matter of minutes. It is available over the counter at any CVS or Walgreens pharmacy.

It's easy to use intranasal Narcan! Follow these steps:

1. Open the package

2. Insert nozzle into person's nostril

3. Press the red plunger

Is Narcan effective against all drugs?

Narcan is ONLY effective against opioids. This means it will NOT work on overdoses of hallucinogens, alcohol, stimulants, or other drugs.

However, if you are ever in a situation where you are unsure if the person is overdosing on opioids, administer Narcan anyway! It feels like a nasal spray like Flonase and is extremely unlikely to hurt the person.

Where can I get Narcan?

If you are a UT student, you can get Narcan for free at the security desk at Perry-Castaneda Library (PCL)! You can also get it at any of the 24-hour residence hall front desks.

If you want a larger supply of Narcan, you can order it through More Narcan Please, an initiative funded by the Texas Targeted Opioid Response (TTOR) grant.

You can also go to any of the three Narcan Vending Machines in Austin installed by the N.I.C.E. Project to get Narcan for free 24/7. The Vending Machines are located outside of Cenote (1010 E Cesar Chavez Street), Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center (4430 Menchaca Road), and Sahara Lounge (1413 Webberville Road).

Narcan is also available for purchase over-the-counter at any CVS or Walgreens pharmacy.

How can I tell if someone is overdosing?

Remember the acronym BLUE.

Breathing - look to see if the person is breathing extremely slowly, or not at all.

Look/Lips - see if the person's skin is tinged blue, mostly around their mouth or fingertips.

Unconscious/Unresponsive - see if the person is unconscious. Test them for consciousness by first saying "Sir/Ma'am/Mx., are you okay? Please open your eyes if you can hear me." If they do not respond to this, pinch their fingernail beds to see if they respond to uncomfortable stimuli, like batting your hand away. If they do not respond to either of these, they are unconscious.

Eyes - see if their eyes are dilated (large) or pinpoint (small).

If you see any of these signs, call 911 immediately!

What do I do to help someone overdosing?

If the person is BLUE... Remember the acronym SAVE ME!

Stimulate the person to check for responsiveness. Call 911.

Airway - tilt the person's head back to make the airway as straight as possible.

Ventilation - perform rescue breaths on the person if you are comfortable doing so.

Evaluate - has the person gotten better or worse?

Medication - administer Narcan to the person. Wait 2-3 minutes to see if the person is responding (opening their eyes, restarting breathing, etc.)

Evaluate again - has the person gotten better or worse? If they are not responding to one dose of Narcan, administer another dose in the other nostril.

How can I contribute to ending the opioid epidemic?

Learn how to use Narcan! Just open the packaging, insert the tip of the nozzle into the person's nostril, then press the red plunger to deploy a dose. Teach others whenever you can.

Volunteer with Austin-area harm reduction organizations such as Texas Harm Reduction Alliance, a mobile- and street-based organization serving people at risk of opioid overdose. They provide free showers, clothing, support services, and drug testing supplies to those in need.

Report overdoses to Texans Connecting Overdose Prevention Efforts (TxCOPE), a UT-created, completely confidential resource that helps researchers track overdoses and determine which areas of Texas are most at-risk.

If you lead a student organization at UT and want your members to learn valuable information about drug safety, request a Drug Safety Workshop from Longhorn EMS, a student-led organization composed of both EMTs and non-EMTs dedicated to serving the community through emergency response.