OVERDOSE ALERT
Drug related harms including near fatal overdoses and death have increased across NHS Ayrshire and Arran. This may be due to the presence of nitazines a synthetic form of heroin which have been found in various street drugs, including heroin in Scotland. In addition to heroin, these highly potent opioids have also been detected in the wider drug market, including benzodiazepines and counterfeit opioid painkillers.
What you can do to reduce your or a family member/friends risk:
- Don’t use alone or encourage people not to use alone
- Encourage people to carry naloxone at all times or ensure you have access to naloxone when using drugs
- If using together, try to stagger your use, take turns and leave enough time between injecting so that someone can respond with naloxone if needed
- If someone is intoxicated, don’t leave them alone
- Alcohol, mixing of prescribed and other drugs increases the risk of harm
- If you are concerned, contact your treatment provider or harm reduction service
- Test drugs using www.wedinos.org
- Understand that what is in illicit drugs is always unpredictable and can change
How to save a life: emergency response to an overdose – Publications – Public Health Scotland
Stop the Deaths Overdose Booklet – Scottish Drugs Forum
People have reported seeing or experiencing:
- Sudden collapse (shortly after smoking or injecting drugs)
- Becoming unresponsive (will not respond to shaking or shouting)
- Snoring or noisy breathing
- Blue or pale lips and skin
- Seizures or fits
If someone is overdosing call 999 straight away and ask for an ambulance.
Give as much information as possible.
Naloxone is a life-saving medicine that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid/drug overdose
- Carry naloxone yourself or encourage family members to have naloxone at all times for use as needed
- Naloxone should be given to anyone who is unresponsive and displaying the signs of an overdose (snoring, difficulty breathing, pin-point pupils, blue lips) leaving 2-3 minutes between doses.
- If you need a supply of Naloxone, contact NADARS on 01294 476000, Turning Point’s PEAR Service on 01294 447407, or order online from www.sfad.org.uk
- You can also get free, confidential advice and support from Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs online at www.sfad.org.uk or by calling 08080 101 011.
If you are concerned over the availability and supply of illicit drugs and the impact on your family and in your community you can report these anonymously to Independent UK charity taking crime information anonymously | Crimestoppers (crimestoppers-uk.org) who guarantee anonymity.
