Take A Naloxone Or Overdose Response Training
A free, short session that teaches you to reverse an opioid overdose - and many places will hand you the kit at the end.
- Cost
- Free
- Time
- 60-90 min
- People
- Solo / Duo, Small Group (3-6)
- Where
- Community Org
- Bring
- Advance registration
Why this matters
Opioid overdose is survivable, and the reversal medication works within minutes - but only if someone present recognises what's happening and acts before emergency services arrive. Deaths overwhelmingly happen where a bystander was there but didn't know what to do. Training is usually free, takes an hour, and often comes with a kit.
How to do it
Look for training run by local drug and alcohol services, harm reduction organisations, needle exchanges, some pharmacies, or public health teams. It's usually free, takes about an hour, and in many areas you're given a naloxone kit to carry afterwards at no cost.
What you'll learn: - How to recognise an opioid overdose, and how it differs from someone being very intoxicated - How to administer naloxone, which is typically a nasal spray and much simpler than people expect - Rescue breathing and the recovery position - What to do afterwards - naloxone wears off, so emergency services are still essential - The legal position on assisting, which in most places explicitly protects bystanders acting in good faith
Worth knowing: - Naloxone only works on opioids and does nothing for other substances. It's harmless if you're wrong, which is why the guidance is to use it if in doubt. - Someone revived may be confused, distressed or in withdrawal. The training covers how to handle that. - Always call emergency services, even if they recover.
This is a genuinely uncomfortable topic for a lot of people, which is part of why so few carry it. Going with a friend makes it easier, and there's no requirement to have any personal connection to drug use - anyone can do the training and carry a kit.