Overdose Prevention & Substance Use Resources
About Prescription Opioids
People experience pain every day. Doctors sometime prescribe opioids to manage and treat moderate-to-severe pain. Opioids are natural or synthetic chemicals that bind receptors in your brain or body to reduce the intensity of pain signals reaching the brain.
Opioid use disorder and the risk of overdose
Opioids pose a risk to all patients. Anyone taking prescription opioids is at risk for unintentional overdose or death and can become addicted regardless of race, gender, income level, or social class. Opioids can cause a person’s breathing to slow down or stop— this is considered an overdose.
Who is at risk of an overdose?
Individuals that are:
- Leaving emergency care for overdoses
- Lost tolerance – due to detox, incarceration, abstinence-based treatment
- Enrolled in treatment programs
- In active substance use
Certain people based on experiences are at higher risk for opioid overdose emergencies, including:
- Prior Overdose
- Reduced tolerance – previous users who have stopped using due to abstinence, illness, treatment, or incarceration
- Mixing drugs – combining opioids with other drugs, including alcohol, stimulants or depressants. Combining stimulants and depressants DO NOT CANCEL EACH OTHER OUT
- Using alone
- Variations in strength or quantity or changing formulations (e.g., switching from quick acting to long lasting/extended release)
- Medical conditions such as chronic lung disease or kidney or liver problems
How can I spot an opioid overdose?
Recognizing the signs of opioid overdose and acting fast can save a life. Here are some things to look for:
- No movement or can not be woken up
- Dizziness and disorientation
- Discoloration of lips and nails
- Pupils extremely small
- Breathing slow or absent
- Choking, coughing, gurgling, or snoring sounds
- Cold or clammy skin
Naloxone Access
What is Naloxone?
Naloxone is a medication used to rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Naloxone works by blocking the effects of opioids, including heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioid medications. Naloxone is the generic name but can be found under the branded name of Narcan ®. Naloxone is available in two forms–injectable and prepackaged nasal spray.
REVIVE! Training
REVIVE! is Virginia’s opioid overdose and naloxone education program and is part of the Commonwealth’s response to the epidemic of opioid drug use and related deaths in Virginia. The training is free and anyone who uses opioids or knows someone who is using opioids is encouraged to attend a training. REVIVE! trains individuals to be prepared for, recognize, and respond to an opioid overdose emergency with the administration of Naloxone. To learn to save lives with naloxone, please visit REVIVE! Opioid Overdose Awareness Modules.
Rapid REVIVE! Training
Richmond & Henrico Health Districts provide a shortened version of the REVIVE training, called Rapid REVIVE! This version allows individuals to complete the training in seven minutes. After watching a short video and then providing their contact information, participants receive free naloxone nasal spray. This version is available anytime. No registration is required. To start the training:
How can I get Naxolone?
Find out if naloxone is covered by your insurance plan by contacting your provider. Naloxone may be provided at little or no cost by local health departments, community service boards and community-based groups.
- Richmond City Health District, 400 East Cary Street, Richmond, VA 23219
*Visitor parking is available in the Cary Street lot - Richmond & Henrico Health District Resource Centers
Monday – Friday, 10 AM – 1 PM - Community sites listed below: