Overdose Prevention and Harm Reduction: Just like with any behavior that carries risk, the only way to completely prevent an overdose is by not consuming any opioids, but that is not always realistic. However, we can learn specific techniques to reduce the risk of overdose (see here). These techniques are overdose prevention strategies and fall under the broad heading of a harm reduction approach to drug use.
Information provided on this site is not intended to cover everything –there are many places to find helpful information about overdose prevention and harm reduction.
For information on opioid overdose prevention and education:
- Access the SAMHSA Opioid Overdose Toolkit
- Review the Opioid Overdose Basics including recognizing an opioid overdose, responding to an opioid overdose, and risks and prevention strategies
- Access information on overdose prevention and naloxone access
- Review information on Safe and Effective Opioid Prescribing
To learn more specific to harm reduction philosophies and approaches, we suggest visiting the following sites:
- Drug Policy Alliance – Harm Reduction
- Harm Reduction Coalition
- Video – Example of peer-to-peer harm reduction work in Baltimore
One specific harm reduction strategy is the distribution of naloxone (an overdose reversal medication) to aid in the prevention of fatal overdoses. For information on naloxone:
- SAMHSA- naloxone
- Naloxone Resources and Training Materials
- Naloxone Prescribing
- For specific information about Narcan, see the FDA approval for Adapt Pharma’s Narcan nasal spray and the official Narcan Nasal Spray website with detailed information on the device
For information about overdose prevention among veterans through the national VA Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution program, please see the following: OEND Fact Sheet and OEND: Preventing and Responding to an Opioid Overdose Presentation
For Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution (OEND) literature, visit the following sites:
- Opioid overdose prevention and naloxone rescue kits: what we know and what we don’t know
- Overdose Prevention Alliance