How to get Narcan mailed to your WA home for free and instructions for overdose reversal

Over the past several years, Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson has taken action against several companies for their contributions to the opioid epidemic. One such company, Teva Pharmaceuticals, agreed to a $90.7 million resolution.

Part of the resolution includes providing 54,120 naloxone kits to Washington state over a two-year period. Naloxone, aka Narcan, is an opioid reversal kit that blocks the opioid receptors in the brain. Shipments will be made quarterly, the first of which arrived last week, according to a press release from the Attorney General’s Office. While Narcan is already available over-the-counter at most pharmacies in the Evergreen State, the mailing option is meant to increase accessibility.

The program is offered to anyone in Washington state. The mail-order program could be useful for those worried about judgment, those who can’t afford pharmacy prices, those located far from pharmacies or those who are unable to regularly get to a pharmacy, among other scenarios.

Here’s how you can order naloxone through the mail for free.

WA mail-order Narcan program

The opioid overdose reversal kits are distributed through the Department of Health. The program is managed by the People’s Harm Reduction Alliance, a community-based non-profit organization offering health and harm reduction services for drug users in the PNW.

To order a kit, you simply fill out a form online with shipping information and a few additional questions. You will receive the package at no cost.

“These kits will save lives,” Ferguson stated in the recent press release. “Our lawsuits against opioids manufacturers are providing resources to combat the fentanyl and opioid crisis to every part of the state. These kits will make immediate impacts in that fight.”

Once you receive the kit, you should store the naloxone at room temperature out of direct light. Make sure everyone in the home knows where it is stored, and that it can be reached easily.

You’ll need to replace your stock after using one or both of the doses, if the kit is damaged or near its expiration date. You can do this by purchasing another kit or ordering another one online. In order to maintain stock, it is requested that individuals do not place more than one order per month. The program is intended for homes and individuals, and multiple people can order for the same household.

How to use naloxone

Naloxone is meant to be used when a person shows signs of opioid overdose.

According to the state DOH, signs of an opioid overdose include:

• Unresponsive, can’t wake up, even when being shaken
• Not breathing or abnormal breathing (one breath every 3-5 seconds)
• Cold/clammy skin
• Blue, purpose or gray color in skin, lips, fingertips

Narcan only works for opioid overdose, but it does no harm if another substance was used. If you witness what seems like an overdose, the state Department of Health recommends acting fast. Especially considering the state’s Good Samaritan Law, which protects people who act in an emergency situation, even if there are drugs present. If you are providing first aid, transportation or other life-saving actions during an emergency, including an overdose, you are protected from criminal implications.

The following steps are recommended by the DOH for response to anyone who has taken drugs and may be overdosing:

1. Check for signs of an overdose, look for a response. Try rubbing your knuckles hard on the center of their chest.
2. Call 911. Give the operator your exact location, and say you’re with someone who isn’t breathing. You do not have to disclose information about drugs or medicine, but you should tell the operator you’re going to administer naloxone. Follow any instructions the operator gives.
3. Administer naloxone. The nasal spray version is ready-to-use and only works once, it does not need testing. Just remove the device from the package, place the tip of the nozzle in either nostril and press the plunger to firmly release the dose inside their nose. For the injection version, remove the cap from the vial and uncover the needle. Insert the needle through the rubber plug while the vial is upset down. Pull the plunger back to take up 1 ml. Inject the 1 ml into an upper arm or thigh muscle.
4. Check their breathing. Narcan takes a few minutes to start working, so check their breathing for the following several minutes. If they have no breath or shallow breaths, begin rescue breaths. Make sure they’re flat on their back, gently tilt their head back and pinch their nose. Give two quick breaths into their mouth — you should see their chest rise, not their stomach. Give one slow breath every five seconds until they wake up or start breathing. Roll them on their side in a recovery position if they’re breathing but not waking up.
5. If there’s no response after three minutes, administer another dose.
6. Stay there until help arrives — you are protected under Washington state law.

This story was originally published May 22, 2024 at 1:25 PM.