During this time of attention being directed towards the COVID 19 Pandemic, this is a reminder from the NLCRPD regarding the other ongoing crisis and resultant impacts and loss of life from the opioid and heroin public health threat. The NLCRPD continues to actively encourage community members to be aware of the symptoms of an overdose and the value of having naloxone available to combat an overdose. An overdose is a life threatening emergency and requires immediate care from an emergency medical services provider, call 911 immediately.

Naloxone is an emergency medication that reverses the effects of an overdose from opioids such as fentanyl, heroin, methadone and morphine. People can overdose on prescription drugs, over the counter drugs and recreational drugs. Symptoms of an overdose may include:

Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Dizziness
Confusion
Hallucinations
Problems with vision
Seizures
Opioids

Opioids are usually prescription pain killers with names like codeine, morphine, OxyContin and Percocet. Another street version of an opioid is heroin.Fentanyl is a manmade opiate narcotic used mostly for cancer patients in severe pain. Fentanyl is roughly 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine. In Lancaster County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania many deaths have been caused by other street drugs being cut with fentanyl. Fentanyl is very dangerous because you can't see it, smell it or taste it. If your drug of choice has been cut with Fentanyl, it can quickly kill you. An opioid overdose may look and feel like:

Severe sleepiness
Slow heartbeat
Trouble breathing
Slow, shallow breathing
Cold, clammy, bluish skin
Trouble walking or talking
Non-responsiveness to shouting or shaking