Keep you and your loved ones safe.
South Central Public Health District is helping Idahoans battle the opioid epidemic with education, training, and resources. If you'd like to learn how to use Narcan (Naloxone), or would like your organization to learn, please sign up below.
Warning Signs of an Overdose
During an overdose, breathing can be dangerously slowed or stopped, causing brain damage or death. It's important to recognize the signs and act fast. Signs include:
- Small or "pinpoint" pupils
- Slow, shallow breathing
- Choking sounds, snore-like gurgling
- Limp body
- Falling asleep or loss of consciousness
- Pale, blue, or cold skin (or grey toned for persons of color)
- Environmental cues (which may include needles or pill bottles around the person)
Overdoses involving illicitly-manufactured fentanyl (IMF) may present with a few different symptoms along with common opioid overdose symptoms. This includes:
- A rapid onset of symptoms within seconds to minutes of using the drug.
- Prompt stiffening of the body.
- Abrupt air loss (stopped breathing).
- Seizure-like symptoms (e.g. eyes rolling back in head; foaming at mouth).
What do I do if I think someone is overdosing?
- Check to make sure the area is safe and then call 911.
- Give the opioid reversal medication. Wait two minutes and give a second dose if there is no reaction from the first.
- Follow 911 dispatcher instructions and stay with the person until help arrives.
Idaho Law
The Good Samaritan Law protects you from arrest for helping anyone you think is having an overdose. This is true even if you are carrying controlled substances or drug paraphernalia.
Reduce the Stigma
Addiction can happen to anyone. 1 in 6 Americans report a substance use disorder. In 2024, an estimated 4.8 million Americans were living with opioid use disorder, according to national survey data from SAMHSA.
Opioid misuse disorder is especially common because it can start with prescription medication. The stigma surrounding this disorder limits how many people have access to treatment and prevents recovery. Talking openly about opioid misuse disorder and taking steps to prevent accidental overdoses can help save lives in your community.
Most overdoses are accidental. Children, emergency responders, and older adults can all be victims of accidental overdoses.
What is Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine. It is especially addictive and can kill with just 2 milligrams.
Illicit drug producers are now lacing drugs with fentanyl to make them more addictive. This includes fake prescription pills. DEA laboratory testing in 2023 found that 7 out of 10 fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills contained a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.
In 2023, the DEA seized more than 80 million fentanyl-laced fake pills and nearly 12,000 pounds of fentanyl powder nationwide — equivalent to more than 386 million potentially deadly doses, enough to kill every American.
In the Pacific Northwest region covering Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska, the DEA Seattle Field Division seized 3.7 million fentanyl pills and more than 280 pounds of fentanyl powder in 2023, highlighting the continued spread of fentanyl throughout the region.
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