Do you keep Narcan in your purse? If not, maybe you should.
Narcan, known generically as Naloxone, is an overdose reversal drug that’s risen in use as the opioid epidemic has continued to grow.
Paramedics have it. Schools have it. But some local experts want everyone to have it.
“We would like most people to carry Naloxone,” said Dr. Scott Phillips, Washington Poison Center’s medical director.
Spokane Regional Health District Syringe Services Coordinator Samantha Carroll tells people to “always” have the drug with them if they can.
“Everybody should carry Narcan. I like to say that because you never know who you will come across,” she said.
If someone is not experiencing an opioid overdose and are mistakenly administered Naloxone, nothing will happen. They will not be hurt.
Per Washington state law, an individual who believes someone is overdosing and administers Narcan cannot be held liable for administering it incorrectly or for anything else regarding the incident.
You can get Naloxone free, it’s easy to use and its quick application is often the difference between someone living or dying.