POLICE ASSOCIATION OF NOVA SCOTIA 89 Physical signs of fentanyl overdose include: • Severe sleepiness/sedation • Slow, shallow breathing • Nausea • Respiratory arrest • Lips and nails turn blue • Confusion • Person is unresponsive or unconscious • Gurgling sounds or snoring • Cold and clammy skin • Tiny pupils • Drowsiness/respiratory depression •Coma What to do if you suspect an overdose If you think someone is overdosing on fentanyl or any other opioid: 3 • Call 911 immediately for emergency medical assistance • Use naloxone, a drug that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose • naloxone wears off in 20 to 90 minutes, so it is important to seek further medical attention • give the person another dose of naloxone if signs and symptoms do not disappear or if they reappear • Stay until emergency services arrive Fentanyl Addiction and Withdrawal Tolerance to fentanyl occurs when you need increased doses to produce the same effect. Physical dependence and substance use disorder can develop quickly, within weeks of regular use. Most longterm opioid users experience withdrawal. 4 Addiction is the most severe form of a substance use disorder (SUD). SUDs are characterized by compulsive drug seeking and drug use that can be difficult to control, despite harmful consequences. When someone is addicted to drugs, they continue to use them even though they cause health problems or issues at work, school, or home. An SUD can range from mild to severe. People addicted to fentanyl who stop using it can have severe withdrawal symptoms that begin as early as a few hours after the drug was last taken. These symptoms include: • muscle and bone pain • sleep problems • diarrhea and vomiting • cold flashes with goose bumps • uncontrollable leg movements • severe cravings These symptoms can be extremely uncomfortable and are the reason many people find it so difficult to stop taking fentanyl. Like other opioid addictions, medication with behavioural therapies has been shown to be effective in treating people with a fentanyl addiction. 5 1. Health Canada – https://www.canada.ca/en/healthcanada/services/su bstanceuse/controlledillegaldrugs/fentanyl.html#a1 2. National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/fentanyl 3. Health Canada – https://www.canada.ca/en/healthcanada/services/sub stanceuse/controlledillegaldrugs/fentanyl.html#a2 4. Health Canada – https://www.canada.ca/en/healthcanada/services/su bstanceuse/controlledillegaldrugs/fentanyl.html#a2 5. National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/f entanyl Effects & Risks of Heroin Heroin use is associated with several irreversible effects like serious health conditions, including fatal overdose, spontaneous abortion, collapsed veins, and infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. Know the Risks and Effects continued continued
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