Be Prepared to Save a Life

Naloxone for opioid overdoses. Get it now to save a life tomorrow.

Imagine this scenario: You’ve suspected for some time that your daughter has been using opioids– maybe stolen prescription pills, maybe street drugs like heroin. But you don’t know how to ask her. Then one day you get home from work and your 17-year-old is passed out on the floor. You shake her, but her body is limp. It sounds like she’s hardly breathing.

You know something isn’t right and that this is an emergency. You call 911, but you feel helpless holding her hand.

The truth is anyone using drugs can experience an overdose and now you have a way to be prepared for this nightmare scenario – to curb that sense of helplessness. A life-saving drug called Naloxone is now available for free at local pharmacies across the state. Naloxone, also called NARCAN®, which is an inhaled nasal spray version of the drug that can easily be administered to reverse an overdose from opioids. Here’s how you can obtain Naloxone:

• Find a location close to you on our list of participating pharmacies
  • You can even obtain Naloxone via virtual visit and mail. Check out https://www.naloxoneiowa.org/telenaloxone for more info
• Leave your fear at home. Pharmacists across that state want to be a life-saving resource for you and your family. They are there to guide you and make sure you don’t feel alone as you learn about Naloxone
• Plan to spend up to 30 minutes talking to the pharmacist. Because of this, go inside and skip the drive-through
• You’ll talk through a list of screening questions. When it comes to this form remember that:
  • You must be 18 years or older to get Naloxone.
  • All answers are confidential.
• Then you’ll get a brief lesson on how to effectively use the Naloxone on yourself or another person
• Before you leave, the pharmacist will remind you of two things:
  • Don’t hesitate. There are no serious or long-term effects of Naloxone if given in error. So if your suspicions are wrong and if you administer it to someone not having an opioid-induced overdose, they will be fine.
  • You should always call 911 in addition to administering the nasal spray. Naloxone can wear off before the opioids do, and it isn’t a substitute for professional medical care.

Obtaining a free box of Naloxone from your local pharmacist isn’t about assuming the worst. It’s about being prepared. You have smoke detectors in your house in case of fire. You have insurance on your car in case of severe weather or accidents. Whether you’re aware of your own opioid use getting out of control or are concerned about a loved one’s use, it’s important to have naloxone on hand – just in case. Even if you’re not sure there are opioids in the drug. You’ll feel better knowing you’re prepared.

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To learn more, you can visit naloxoneiowa.org. Or to find resources for preventing or treating substance use disorders, contact Your Life Iowa by phone at (855) 581-8111. You can also text with a professional at (855) 895-8398.

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