I understand that many people who get here are not quite ready to get sober, or quit all substances. The goal of harm reduction is to keep a person alive until they are ready. I am not a medical professional but I do work for a harm reduction agency. I also have a lot of experience using many drugs over the course of my 22 years of active addiction. Over the coming days I will do a post on the following:
Heroin, crack/coke, alcohol, pot, mdma/ecstasy, lsd/shrooms. I lack personal experience on the rest to feel comfortable posting on them.
I will also provide information on Narcan and needle exchanges. Once I’m at my work computer tomorrow I will get started.
Clearly Canada is ahead of the game when it comes to opiate harm reduction treatment. You guys got a great model that hopefully we can follow in the states. We have a couple underground safe injection sites (I will not be stating where unfortunately due to liability issues) that addicts know about but are kept secret.
My first topic of harm reduction actually is Heroin and other Opiates
This is my primary DOC and what my agency works with the most.
First and foremost, do not use alone! Many overdose deaths occur because no one is around to help the victim. In this day and age an overdose that has witnesses tends to be way less fatal. Find a good using buddy and stick with them. If you don’t have a buddy, try and use in a public place so that your body can be found in case of an overdose. When using the buddy system DO NOT USE AT THE SAME TIME. If you both fall out it defeats the purpose.
Warning signs of an overdose:
most overdoses from opiates other than fentanyl take 1-3 hours from last use until they take affect. Fentanyl overdoses can occur almost immediately. Look for shallow, gurgling breathing. Blue lips and and blue fingertips are an indication that the body is not getting enough oxygen. Pupil dilation is a very common effect as well.
if NARCAN is available administer a dose and call 911. Most states have a good Samaritan law that protects people who call 911 in an overdose situation. Check your local laws to see for sure. If you know basic CPR, rescue breaths, sternum rubs perform this after NARCAN is administered. If you are not getting a response in 2-3 minutes administer the second dose. Keep track of your doses so you can let the EMT’s know when they arrive. NARCAN is not harmful in to anyone, and no harm will come if administered to someone not overdosing. NARCAN is pretty widely available now, just check with your local department of health.
Safety First!:
use a clean needle every time. This prevents the spread of bloodborn diseases (HIV and Hep C). Cleaning a rig does not necessarily kill a virus.
use saline solution if possible
do not share cookers or cottons. Disease can spread this way as well.
most populated areas have a needle exchange. Use it. They are safe.
This is just a primer. I might add another post later today.
I forgot about test shots and test strips. Today’s opiates seem to all be mixed with fentanyl, thus making the risk of an overdose much higher. When purchasing new product or a new dealer please do a test shot with a small amount just to gauge the potency of the product. You can also get test strips that identify if fentanyl is mixed in. This are only available in some places, but worth it if you can get them. We gave out 2,000 or so at my office and the results were great. 80% of people who found fentanyl in their product either reduced the amount they took or didn’t do it at all.
I also wanted to point out that in Canada, the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act protects you from certain drug-related legal fallout if you are seeking or receiving emergency assistance with a drug overdose. I’m not qualified to interpret law and go into depth on it, nor am I providing legal advice here. What I’m saying is, don’t worry about getting yourself or your friends in trouble by having 911 called when you’re using the buddy system. Emergency services are interested in saving lives, not busting you.
In British Columbia, Canada, you can search for harm reduction sites near you site here. These include needle exchanges, naloxone training and distribution, overdose prevention sites, and supervised consumption sites. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that there’s nothing outside the Island/Lower Mainland. SCS/OPSs are all over the province now.
There are people out there who get it and are there to help you. Staying safe gives you another chance to get free from your addiction.
In honor of Overdose Awareness Month I am here to remind you that harm reduction saves lives. Although this is an abstinence based form, and also my preferred method of recovery, we can never forget that no one can recover if they are dead. If you know someone who is using, or if you go back out please be safe and stay alive.