Harm Reduction

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National statistics on fatal drug overdoses in 2019 have not been officially released yet, but according to the Centers for Disease Control, 67,367 people have died from a drug overdose in 2018, averaging 185 people per day.

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Fentanyl, originally approved to treat severe pain for patients suffering from advanced or terminal cancer, is a very potent opioid but its illicit form has been responsible for most of these deaths. It has been on the rise due to its increased availability outside of a medical setting. It can be easily made, distributed, and mixed in with other drugs because it is cheaper and produces a powerful high leading to an increase in fatal overdoses.

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As overdose deaths are becoming more prevalent in the United States, so is harm reduction, which is a set of programs and practices that aim to keep the public safe, and to minimize death, disease, and injury of those who have substance abuse disorder. Some examples of harm reduction include safe syringe exchange programs, supervised injecting facilities, medication assistance treatment (MAT) centers that offer methadone and buprenorphine (medications used to reduce the cravings of opioids and lessen withdrawal effects), counseling and educational programs that address and treat underlying issues of drug use such as trauma or mental illness, and testing for dangerous diseases often associated with intravenous drug use such as HIV and Hepatitis C.

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A more common and easily accessible form of harm reduction is the administration of naloxone. Often sold under the brand name Narcan or Evzio, it is a medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reverse opioid overdoses (such as those from heroin, oxycodone, or hydrocodone). It does not treat addiction and it is not a cure. It prevents the effects of these opioids and can restore respiration to a person whose breathing has slowed or stopped. The injection of naloxone with a syringe is primarily given by medical professionals. The autoinjector and nasal spray delivery systems were designed for use by non-medical professionals during a suspected overdose. Signs of an overdose are (but not limited to):

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• Unconsciousness, or inability to wake up

• Limp body

• Slow, shallow, irregular or no breathing

• Pale, blue, cold and/or clammy skin

• Choking, snoring, or gurgling sounds

• Slow or no heartbeat

If you suspect an overdose, call 911 first or while administering naxolone, attempt rescue breathing or CPR, and remain with the person until professional help arrives. The person who was given this medication should be continuously 

monitored by medical professionals for as long as instructed, and then they should follow through with any post-care directions.

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Naxolone is not harmful in an overdose or when given to someone who did not have opioids in his/her system. Aside from drowsiness or dizziness, and the occasional feelings of withdrawal, it is a very safe medication. However, it is

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