Approximately one in five people who use heroin will have an overdose each year, and about one in 100 will die from an overdose. Pharmaceutical opioids such as morphine, codeine, oxycodone, and methadone also are involved in many overdoses. With brief training, people who use heroin and other opioids, and members of their families and social networks, can effectively recognize and respond to an opioid overdose and successfully administer naloxone, the opioid overdose antidote. Distributing naloxone to laypersons has resulted in thousands of overdose reversals and has saved many lives.

Author:

Caleb J. Banta-Green, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.S.W.
Principal Research Scientist, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute, University of Washington

Date: 2016