Less than 18 months ago, I was homeless and struggling with substance use disorder. After spending 96 days in jail, I was released — and overdosed in a matter of hours. But naloxone saved my life. …
A Narcan vending machine at Eldorado Community Service Center on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023 in San Diego, CA. The nasal spray is free and people use a QR code to get the item. Less than 18 months ago, I was homeless and struggling with substance use disorder. After spending 96 days in jail, I was released — and overdosed in a matter of hours. But naloxone saved my life.
Over the last four years, we have seen a significant rise in the distribution and use of illicit fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that ishave jumped to respond to this growing crisis. Part of this response? Making it easier for San Diegans to access I met a couple near the San Diego Central Library on one of my first harm reduction outings. I provided them with a harm reduction kit and explained how to use the naloxone. A few weeks later I ran into them again and they told me that one of their friends overdosed not long after I left, and they had to administer all four of the naloxone I had given them, to bring him back. They were shaken by the entire experience but grateful to have been able to help him.
Making naloxone readily available to our community members is so vital because there is a stigma around calling emergency services when someone is experiencing an overdose. Often, people want to help but fear retribution from law enforcement, so they hesitate to intervene or make the call. This is where I step in. I canvas the community twice a week and educate people about the laws that are in place to protect them from being targeted by law enforcement when they are attempting to save a life.
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