An opioid overdose is life-threatening and requires immediate emergencyattention.If you think someone may have overdosed, ALWAYS call 9-1-1 first. Give Narcan and stay with the person until medical help arrives.Knowing the signs of an opioid overdose can help you act quickly.

What is an Opioid?

Opioids are a class of drugs that include some prescription pain medications, heroin, fentanyl, and synthetic opioids. They can reduce pain, but they can also slow breathing and cause overdose.

Examples include:

  • prescription pain medications, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, or codeine
  • heroin
  • synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, nitazenes, and cychlorphine

What is Fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid. It can be up to 100x stronger than morphine and 50x stronger than heroin. Illegally made fentanyl is a major driver of overdose deaths in the United States. It can be mixed with other substances, which increases the risk of an unintentional overdose.

Emerging Synthetic Opioids

Emerging synthetic opioids, such as and cychlorphine, are extremely potent. Cychlorphine can be up to 10 times stronger than fentanyl. Synthetic opioids may be found in counterfeit pills or mixed with other substances, including cocaine.

Cychlorphine cannot be detected by fentanyl test strips, so a negative test does not mean a substance is safe.With extremely potent synthetic opioids, such as cychlorphine, more than one dose of Narcan may be needed.

鶹Ƶ Kratom

Kratom comes from a plant native to Southeast Asia. It is often sold in gas stations, vape shops, and smoke shops.

Although kratom may be marketed as “natural,” it can still carry serious risks. Kratom can have opioid-like effects, including sedation and slowed breathing, which can lead to overdose. Risk increases based on individual factors, the amount used, and when kratom is combined with alcohol or other substances.

For more information, visit the or .

Signs and Symptoms of an Opioid Overdose

  • unconsciousness or unresponsiveness (doesn’t wake up when shaken or called)
  • shallow breathing
  • limpness
  • blue lips, gums, or fingertips
  • slow or irregular heartbeat or pulse

If someone is struggling to breathe, unresponsive, or you suspect an overdose, call 911. Then give Narcan and stay with the person until emergency help arrives.

What is Narcan?

Narcan® is a brand name for naloxone, a medication that can reverse an overdose caused by opioids such as heroin, fentanyl, or prescription pain medication. When given during an overdose, Narcan blocks the effects of opioids on the brain and can quickly restore breathing.

Narcan has been used safely by emergency medical professionals for more than 40 years and has only one criticalfunction: to prevent overdose death by reversing the effects of opioids.

Narcan does not reverse or treat alcohol overdose. If someone may have alcohol poisoning, call 911.

For more information visit the

When to Use Narcan

Use Narcan if someone is unresponsive, struggling to breathe, or you suspect an opioid overdose.

  1. Call 911 right away.
  2. Give Narcan.
  3. If the person does not respond after a few minutes, give another dose.
  4. Stay with the person until emergency help arrives.

鶹Ƶ’s first priority is student safety. Under the , students who get medical help for someone in danger from alcohol or other drugs are not referred to the conduct process for related alcohol or drug violations.

Where can I find Narcan?

Look for the purple ONEbox® emergency toolkit. ONEbox kits are located across campus in residential neighborhood common buildings, next to AED devices.

Each ONEbox® includes two Narcan nasal sprays and an on-demand training video to guide bystanders during an emergency.

If you suspect an opioid overdose, always call 911 first before taking any other action.

Campus Locations

  • Global Commons–From the main entrance, ONEbox is located on the right side next to the Global Neighborhood office.
  • Colonnades (Kivette)–ONEbox is located to the left as you enter the building’s main entrance.
  • Danieley (Daniel Commons)– ONEbox is on the right wall when entering from the side entrance adjacent to Dan G.
  • Eco-Village LLC at Loy Farm
  • East (East Commons)
  • Historic (LaRose)– When entering from the main door ONEbox is located on the right wall towards the offices.
  • Mill Point (Love Student Commons)–Enter through the main entrance, ONEbox is located on the right in the middle of the wall.
  • Oaks (McCoy Commons)–Enter through the main door, ONEbox is located on the right next to the HVAC room.
  • Park Place– When entering through the door at the rear of the building, ONEbox is located on the wall to the left, next to room number 115.
  • The Crest Apartments (Clubhouse)

Community Locations

In Alamance County, Narcan is carried by local law enforcement and emergency response agencies, including:

The also provides free Narcan nasal spray through a vending machine. The kiosk is located in the main entrance lobby of the Human Services Center and is open to the public during normal business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Other Ways to Get Narcan in North Carolina

Narcan is also available through participating pharmacies under North Carolina’s statewide standing order. This means you can ask a pharmacist for Narcan without getting a prescription from a medical provider.

Over-the-counter Narcan nasal spray is also available without a prescription.

You can also search for Narcan through:

Or talk to a medical care provider about getting Narcan.

Campus Resources

Training Resources

  • (In this brief 30-minute training, participants learn what an opioid overdose is, how to recognize one, and how to save a life with Naloxone).

Diagram showing how to roll an overdose victim into the recovery position

What to Do if You Suspect Overdose

  • Call 911
  • Say “I can’t wake my friend up”
  • Roll the person into the recovery position(see image)
  • Stay with the person

Sources: NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health (December 2023)