NJHRC's Community Overdose Education & Naloxone Distro (OEND) program exists so that ALL New Jerseyans can have safe, dignified, barrier-free access to naloxone. We mail naloxone for free anywhere in the state, through our confidential call/text request line 1-8774NARCAN. We host a free naloxone training monthly over Zoom. Details and registration are at: bit.ly/dignityandautonomy
Our street outreach team organizes with local grassroots organizations to provide direct services, currently based in Middlesex County. We organize a statewide network of community distributors, who are a source of naloxone & overdose reversal education for their neighbors and friends. Contact caitlin@njharmreduction.org if you're interested in becoming a source for naloxone & overdose education in your community. Our team is everexpanding, and this work will take all of us.
We also organize a statewide campaign for harm reduction expansion and equitable drug policy reforms in our state. If you're interested in joining us as we advocate for access and expansion of all harm reduction services in every corner of the state, sign up at bit.ly/campaignforharmreduction
why do we need more naloxone access? In states where naloxone is freely accessible to everyone, 9 out of 10 opioid overdoses are reversed by people who use drugs. Despite this statistic, NJ state resources still prioritize naloxone access to law enforcement officers, state agencies, and professional first responders. They are absolutely people who should have access to naloxone, but we cannot stop there. We know that when people who use drugs have barrier-free access to naloxone, we use it! With this in mind, NJHRC operates statewide barrier-free options, so that naloxone can be available to every person at risk to witness or experience an overdose. When people who use drugs (and our friends & family members) have access to naloxone, WE USE IT and we keep each other alive, for whatever our next steps may be.
for free harm reduction supplies: call or text NJHRC
1-877-4NARCAN (1-877-462-7226) or go online to
www.nextdistro.org/newjersey
all about naloxone. an informational pamphlet by New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition
what is naloxone?
Naloxone is the medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. It is often referred to as Narcan, which is the patented brand of naloxone that is administered through an intranasal spray. There are currently several FDA-approved versions of naloxone, including the Narcan brand intranasal spray, the Evzio brand intramuscular auto-injector, and generic naloxone, which can be administered either with a nasal atomizer attachment or with an intramuscular syringe. In New Jersey, there is a standing order that allows for anyone to carry naloxone, and anyone to train and be trained on how to use it.
Naloxone is an opioid antagonist, meaning that it binds to opioid receptors and can reverse and block the effects of other opioids. It can very quickly restore normal breathing to a person experiencing an opioid overdose. It is extremely safe, and has no side effects if given to someone without opioids in their system. Naloxone has a listed shelf-life of 36 months, but has been found effective up to 10 years past its expiration date. It is also suggested to store naloxone in a room temperature environment, out of direct sunlight. Naloxone is fairly resilient though, so do what you can with what you have.
why do we have naloxone?
We have naloxone, as we know t today, through the radical activism of people who use drugs, advocates, and allies redistributing the medication to keep each other alive. Here's a very abridged timeline of naloxone: 1961: Naloxone first patented to treat opioid-related constipation 1970: Doctors began using naloxone to reverse opioid toxicity in emergency departments. 1995: People who use drugs began distributing Naloxone in grassroots networks to keep each other safe. 2003: the Drug Overdose Prevention Education (D.O.P.E.) Project in San Francisco pioneers low barrier community naloxone distribution (in 2019 D.O.P.E. project naloxone was used for over 2,600 peer overdose reversals in San Francisco) 2010: Law enforcement and state agencies recognize this model's efficacy and began carrying naloxone in response to the increase in fentanylrelated overdoses. 2019: New Jersey Harm Reduction Coalition formed and, following the legacy of the D.O.P.E. Project and many others, established the first statewide grassroots communitybased naloxone distribution program in New Jersey
Widespread low-barrier community naloxone distribution is one of the most effective and practical tools we have to survive prohibition and the overdose epidemic.
how do we get it?
The NJ Dept. of Health's Harm Reduction Centers are a source free for naloxone, as well as other harm reduction supplies and services. There are currently 7 locations: Asbury Park, Atlantic City, Camden, Jersey City, Newark, Paterson, and Trenton. You can find more details at: https://www.nj.gov/health/hivstdtb/sap.shtml
Some NJ pharmacies also carry the brand name versions of naloxone, and some also opt-in to the statewide standing order that allows them to dispense it without a prescription. The participating pharmacies can be found at: nj.gov/humanservices/stopoverdoses.
We know, from experience and feedback, that purchasing naloxone at a pharmacy can present many barriers to access, including: high costs, limits on mobility or transportation, insurance restrictions, invasive requirements to disclose personal information, and unwanted visibility or stigma. At NJHRC, we do not believe stigma and barriers should stand in the way of accessing lifesaving medication. Our statewide Community Overdose Education and Naloxone Distro program exists because we believe that no one should ever have to wonder how or if they can get naloxone in New Jersey. Naloxone belongs to the people.