Narcan can help prevent opioid overdose deaths. Where to get it in Charlotte

Drug overdoses have claimed the lives of more than 1,600 Mecklenburg County residents over the last decade.

In 2021, 210 people in Mecklenburg County died from drug overdoses, down from 236 people the previous year, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services’ Opioid and Substance Use Action Plan Data Dashboard.

There were also 1,508 emergency department visits due to overdoses in Mecklenburg County last year, according to the dashboard.

These metrics include deaths and emergency department visits involving all types of medications and drugs, including prescribed opioids, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine.

To reduce the number of opioid overdose deaths, the state implemented a standing order, or a medical order that authorizes the distribution of medication to any person who meets certain criteria, in 2016 to increase the availability of Narcan, a drug that can treat narcotic overdose in emergency situations.

Who is eligible to get Narcan in North Carolina?

According to NCDHHS, any pharmacists who practice in the state and are licensed by the N.C. Board of Pharmacy can dispense narcan to any person who:

• Is at risk of opiate-related overdoses due to medical conditions or history.

• Is the friend or family member of someone at risk of opiate-related overdose.

• Is in a position to help another person at risk of opiate-related overdose.

Where can you get Narcan in Charlotte?

Many pharmacies in Charlotte offer Narcan, including Walgreens, CVS, Harris Teeter, Walmart and Publix, according to NaloxoneSaves.org, an online resource that provides information on where to find the drug in North Carolina.

You can use this map on the website to find a Narcan provider near you.

How to recognize and treat an overdose

Recognizing an overdose is the first in reversing it, according to NaloxoneSaves.org.

Signs of overdose include unresponsiveness, not breathing, turning blue or pale, deep snoring, vomiting, gasping and gurgling. If you notice any of these signs in a person and suspect they have taken an opioid, you should follow these steps:

1. Rub your knuckles on their breastbone.

2. Call 911 and tell the dispatcher there is someone who is unresponsive and not breathing.

3. Start rescue breathing by tilting the person’s head back, pinching their nose closed, making a seal with your mouth on the person’s mouth and giving two slow rescue breaths while you watch for their chest to rise. Continue to give one breath every five seconds until the person can breathe on their own.

4. Administer Narcan.

How to administer Narcan

According to NaloxoneSaves.org, there are two types of Narcan: intramuscular and intranasal. Here’s how to administer them:

Intramuscular

1. Remove the cap from the Narcan.

2. Take the cap off the needle.

3. Place the needle into the medication and draw 1cc from the tube.

4. Inject the needle into any large muscle, like the arm or leg.

Intranasal

1. Remove the yellow parts from the top of bottom of the plastic tube and remove the purple cap from the Narcan.

2. Take the atomizer and twist it into the plastic tube, then insert the medication.

3. Spray half of the Narcan into each of the person’s nostrils until all of it has been used.

If the person is still unresponsive after three minutes, you should give them another dose of Narcan. If they start breathing, put them on their side with their top leg and arm crossed over their body and stay until help arrives.

This story was originally published July 20, 2022 at 9:00 AM.

Evan Moore

The Charlotte Observer

Evan Moore is a service journalism reporter for the Charlotte Observer. He grew up in Denver, North Carolina, where he previously worked as a reporter for the Denver Citizen, and is a UNC Charlotte graduate.