Over the last several years, there has been an ongoing epidemic on Long Island regarding opioid use. Local leaders are trying to combat this issue and save lives. To assist with this, Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino is partnering with Drug Free Long Island, Thomas’ Hope Foundation and Massapequa Park Village Mayor Daniel Pearl. Together, they will be hosting a free event called, “Family Support, Overdose Prevention & Narcan Training Seminars”. These seminars will be occurring in September. The first one takes place on Monday September 16th, and the next one after that is on Monday September 30th. It will occur in the downstairs meeting rooms of Massapequa Park Village Hall. The goal of this program is to offer support to those who are struggling with addiction or have a loved one who is struggling. This free seminar is available to all residents, and no prior medical experience is needed to participate.
With that being said, let’s examine what Narcan is, and how it could potentially save countless lives. Narcan Nasal Spray quickly reverses the effects of a life-threatening opioid crisis. It is essentially used to revive someone during an overdose from various medications that are used to treat pain, such as heroin. Narcan is available as an over-the-counter- medication. This is important, because access is available to all who need it.
You may be wondering how Narcan works. According to Narcan’s website, the nasal spray “competes with opioids to bind with the same receptors in the brain, reversing the effects of an opioid overdose in 2 to 3 minutes.” This is crucial and very important, because administering Narcan can provide enough time for emergency medical help to arrive and treat the user who has overdosed. It is important to note that administering Narcan is not something that should be done in place of receiving emergency medical care. As soon as you first administer Narcan, you should also call 911 and seek proper medical care and attention.
The training seminar explained above that will occur in September would be very useful for those who want more education on Narcan. In addition to the seminars, there are also videos on the Narcan website explaining how to properly administer it.
It is important to note that Narcan is not a medicine that should be self-administered. Therefore, if you are concerned that you may need Narcan, it is important to let those close to you (friends, family, etc.) have access to it and know how to administer it (should you need it).
Narcan can be administered every two to three minutes until the user wakes up or help arrives. Additionally, you cannot overdose on Narcan nasal spray. However, while you cannot overdose on it, there are some potential side effects to be aware of. Upon waking up from your overdose, you may have symptoms such as shaking, sweating, nausea, or feelings of anger. Although this may sound concerning, it is typical and therefore nothing to be overly concerned about.
Narcan is available both online and at pharmacies. To obtain Narcan, you do not need a prescription.
Opioid overdoses can be severe, in worst case scenarios even deadly. However, local leaders are taking steps to help us overcome the opioid epidemic. For example, as explained above, there will be opioid and Narcan seminars in Massapequa on Long Island, New York in September. It is important for both those suffering with substance use and their families to understand what Narcan is, and how to properly administer it in times of crisis. It truly can save lives. Being a network of 5 addiction recovery centers on Long Island, New York, at Victory we see the dangers of opioid use and how addiction can be devastating to both the users and their families. We continually strive to educate both our staff and patients on life-saving methods, such as Narcan. As more of us become educated on this important subject, hopefully the opioid epidemic will begin to decrease. For more information on Victory Recovery Partners, visit our website www.victoryrp.com
