The North Shore Coalition Against Substance Abuse hosted a NARCAN training presentation on April 7, continuing a recurring community program aimed at overdose awareness and prevention. Held in partnership with the Huntington Drug and Alcohol Counseling Center, the event brought together local parents, business owners and older students, particularly high school seniors and college-age young adults, for education on recognizing and responding to opioid overdoses.
Here are three things to know about NARCAN and opioid risks.
While overdose deaths in the United States have trended downward from their peak in recent years, organizers stressed that the numbers remain alarm- ingly high. Sean Trager, president of North Shore CASA, said in an interview after the event that the decline has been only marginal and does not lessen the need for public awareness.
The coalition’s message centered on the idea that even with improved statistics, tens of thousands of Americans continue to die each year from overdoses, many of them involving opioids and fentanyl. Orga- nizers said schools, college dormitories and social set- tings frequented by young adults remain places where overdoses can occur.
CASA, which focuses on awareness and education rather than direct treatment services, partnered with the Huntington Drug and Alcohol Counseling Center, an organization that provides treatment and support services across Long Island.
2. Recognizing and treating symptoms
A major focus of the presentation was teaching attendees how to identify the signs of an opioid over- dose and administer NARCAN, the brand name for naloxone.
Symptoms included pale or clammy skin, bluish lips and trouble breathing. Opioids slow the heart and respiratory rate, reducing oxygen flow to the brain.
NARCAN displaces opioids from the brain’s recep- tors, reversing the effects of the overdose and restor- ing breathing, and is available over the counter.
The administration process is simple: the nasal spray is inserted into the nose and activated with the push of a button. If the person is not experiencing an opioid overdose, the medication will not cause harm.
The training also addressed the growing danger of fentanyl contamination in other drugs, including cocaine and counterfeit pills. Many overdoses occur when individuals do not realize the substance they are taking has been mixed with fentanyl.
3. Educating the next generation
Trager said the presentation specifically sought to reach older teenagers and college students, a group that faces increased risk as they leave home for school and gain social independence.
High school seniors preparing for college are as an especially important audience, according to Trager, as they may encounter overdoses in dormitories, parties or off-campus housing. The goal, organizers said, is to ensure students have both the knowledge and the physical tool needed to save a life.
The event also aimed to challenge what Trager described as a common sense of invincibility among young people, particularly those growing up in subur- ban communities who may believe the crisis exists elsewhere.
By equipping students and families with NARCAN and practical knowledge, CASA hopes to continue reducing preventable deaths and keeping the issue in public view.
