In the first months of 2024, opioid overdoses continue to be a serious regional problem with data showing a 30% rise in emergency overdose calls in Spokane County. Surrounding areas like Stevens County are calling for more community awareness around overdoses and local advocates are asking elected officials to declare a state of emergency. The data can be staggering — 31 people in Spokane County alone had died of overdoses as of February 20 — and it can be difficult to know how to help as a community member.
One of the easiest ways to help is to be prepared to administer naloxone, commonly referred to by the brand name Narcan, in the event you encounter someone experiencing an overdose. Naloxone can temporarily halt the effects of opioids, which can stop someone from breathing, and allow a person that is overdosing to start to breathe again.
Having naloxone on your person and knowing how to administer it can mean the difference between life and death for someone overdosing.
Our community is in a crisis and as members of this community, we can learn (or remind ourselves) how to recognize the symptoms of an overdose, where to get naloxone, how to administer it and other steps you can take to help. We’ve collated some resources to help you get started.
First, this graphic from the Washington State Department of Health (WSDOH) lays out how to recognize the symptoms of an overdose and use the two different forms of naloxone (a nasal spray or a shot) to revive someone.
If you’re more of a visual learner, the WSDOH also has a video you can watch (in English and Spanish) to familiarize yourself with the process. The Washington Poison Center put out an even longer, more in-depth explanation of how to use naloxone for those out there who like to really dive in.
On almost every website about the use of naloxone, we saw reminders to remember to call 911 in tandem with administering naloxone — folks experiencing an overdose could still need medical attention, even if the medication successfully revives them. It is important to note that naloxone only works on opioid overdoses and will have no effect on someone who has overdosed on stimulants or psychostimulants, which makes calling 911 even more important.
If you’re worried that you could be held legally liable for your administration of naloxone, you shouldn’t be — Washington has Good Samaritan laws that provide general legal protection for people giving aid during an emergency. Washington also has general legal protections for the person experiencing the overdose — they will not be charged or prosecuted for possession of a controlled substance if the evidence for the charge was obtained because they received medical assistance for an overdose.
How to get naloxone?
Knowing how and when to administer naloxone is great in theory, but to put into practice, you’re going to need to obtain naloxone and have it with you during the emergency. It’s a great general practice to keep some on your person in your purse, backpack, fanny pack, primordial pouch or wherever you keep your stuff and things when you leave the house so you’re always prepared to respond in the event of an emergency. There are a few places in Spokane to get free or low-cost naloxone.
First, the People’s Harm Reduction Alliance (PHRA) runs a mail-order distribution process where Washington residents can receive between two and four doses of free naloxone a month. You can specify whether you want to receive injectable or nasal spray kits, so you can still be prepared, even if you don’t feel capable or comfortable with injections. Orders through PHRA can be placed here.
Naloxone can also be obtained from most pharmacies. In Washington, naloxone is free to people with Medicaid/Washington Apple Health Insurance and can be picked up without a prescription. Folks covered by different insurance companies can call and find out if their personal plan also covers naloxone. Otherwise, naloxone can be purchased for about $45 at most pharmacies and anywhere that sells over-the-counter medications. More information on where to get naloxone near you can be found here.
Finally, the Central location of the Spokane Public Library has a naloxone vending machine which offers free naloxone kits when they have the drug in stock. Currently, their stock has been all used up and they are unable to provide kits at the moment. There was no ETA on when they will be restocking, but if you happen to be downtown and in need of naloxone, it might be worth checking in and seeing if they’ve received more.
If, like us, you love Spokane and want to make it better, one of the ways you can start doing that right now is by ordering a few doses of naloxone, reading or watching videos on how to use it and carrying it on your person. Being prepared to help the most vulnerable in our society during moments of crisis is one of the ways we care for our community.
