What is naloxone?

Naloxone is a life-saving medication that works to rapidly reverse an opioid overdose and restore normal breathing. Naloxone has no effect on someone who does not have opioids in their system.

Someone who is overdosing cannot give themselves naloxone. If people you know use illegal pills, powders, or other opioids, you should consider carrying naloxone.

Where can I get naloxone?

Naloxone is available, free of charge, at multiple locations in San Diego County.

How can you recognize an overdose?

A    AWARENESS

A person is unresponsive and won’t wake up.

B   BREATHING

A person’s breath is slow or absent, or they are making choking or gurgling sounds.

C    COLOR

The person’s lips, skin, or fingertips are pale or blue.

What should you do if you suspect an overdose?

1    CALL 9-1-1 IMMEDIATELY

California Good Samaritan laws may protect a person who is overdosing, or the person helping them, from legal trouble.

2    ADMINISTER NALOXONE

Use the medication on the person as soon as you can.

3    START RESCUE BREATHING OR HANDS-           ONLY CPR*
3    START RESCUE BREATHING OR HANDS-ONLY CPR*

The emergency dispatcher can give you CPR instructions if you need them.

*Perform rescue breathing if you have a pocket mask/face shield or the person is known to be non-infectious.

4    STAY WITH THEM

Monitor the person until emergency services arrive.

Download and share naloxone information cards:

Why the concern over fentanyl?

Fentanyl hides in more illegal opioids than you think, and those opioids are deadly. Opioid-related deaths involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl have more than tripled in the last decade and account for 82%** of all opioid overdose deaths in the United States. Any opioid that doesn’t come from a doctor could be laced with fentanyl.

Fentanyl is 50-100 times stronger than morphine.

· There are two types of fentanyl: pharmaceutical fentanyl and illicitly manufactured fentanyl—both types are synthetic (or man-made) opioids.

· Pharmaceutical fentanyl is used to treat patients with severe pain, such as after surgery, and sometimes for chronic pain. It can be given as a shot, used as a patch on the skin, or prescribed in lozenge form.

· While it can be taken safely as administered by a doctor, misuse and abuse of fentanyl is common.

· Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is being added to counterfeit drugs because it is highly addictive and potent.

A Deadly Dose

See how fentanyl hides in illegal opioids.

More and more pills and powders are being laced with fentanyl.

No one—not you or the person you got the drug from—can tell if a drug contains fentanyl by just looking at it. The best way to stay safe is to avoid counterfeit pills and powders without your name on the prescription.

Sites and contact information on where to get naloxone free of charge in San Diego County are below:

VENDING MACHINE LOCATIONS

McAllister Institute

Address: 1180 Third Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91911
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9:15 p.m.;
Fridays 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

T.H. E. C.I.R.C.L.E. by Epiphany

Address: 5081 Logan Avenue, San Diego, California 92113 Hours: Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

El Dorado

Address: 1733 Euclid Ave San Diego, CA 92105-5414
Hours: Monday through Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 6:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Pala Reservation

Address: 34884 Lilac Extension Rd Pala, CA 92059-2903
Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Rincon

Address: 33750 Valley Center Rd Valley Center, CA 92082-6022 Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Yaytaanak Wellness Center

Address: 1389 Browns Rd, Alpine, CA 91901
Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Acadia Health Fashion Valley Location

Address: 7545 Metropolitan Dr, San Diego, CA 92108
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 5:30 am to 2:00 pm, Wednesday 5:30 am to 12:00 pm, Saturdays 7:00 am to 10:00 am

Jane Westin Clinic

Address: 1045 9th Ave SD, CA 92101
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm

Southern Indian Health

Address: 1045 9th Ave SD, CA 92101
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm

Project Aware

Address: 2733 Lemon Grove Ave, Lemon Grove, CA 91945 Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Father Joe’s Villages

Address: 1501 Imperial Ave. San Diego, CA 92101
Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Acadia Health Oceanside

Location Address: 1905 Apple St Ste 3, Oceanside, CA 9205 Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 5:30 am to 2:00 pm, Wednesday 5:30 am to 12:00 pm, Saturdays 7:00 am to 10:00 am

MOBILE SOURCES

Harm Reduction Coalition of San Diego

Phone: 1-888-NARCAN-0 (1-888-627-2260)
Hours (phone line): Monday–Saturday 8 a.m.– 9 p.m.
Email: harmreduxsd@gmail.com

WALK-IN LOCATIONS

A New Path

Phone: 619-990-5800
Email: april@anewpath.org

Safe Point San Diego (Family Health Centers of San Diego)

Address: Imperial Ave & 16th St
Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6 p.m.-9 p.m.
Phone: 619-993-0216

Safe Point San Diego (Family Health Centers of San Diego)

Address: North Park Way and 31st Street
Hours: Fridays, 11 a.m.- 1 p.m.
Phone: 619-993-0216

COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO REGIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH CENTERS

Central Region

Address: 5202 University Avenue, San Diego, CA 92105
Hours: Hours vary, please call for availability
Phone: 619-229-5400

East Region

Address: 367 North Magnolia Avenue,El Cajon, CA 92020
Hours: Hours vary, please call for availability
Phone: 619-441-6500

North Coastal Region

Address: 3609 Ocean Ranch Blvd, Ste 104, Oceanside, CA 92056
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m.
Phone: 760-967-4401

North Inland Region

Address: 649 West Mission Avenue, Suite 2, Escondido, CA 92025
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Phone: 760-740-3000

South Region

Address: 690 Oxford Street, Chula Vista, CA 91911
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Phone: 619-409-3110

North Central Region

Address: 5055 Ruffin Road, San Diego, CA 92123
Hours: Hours vary, please call for availability
Phone: 858-573-7300

For more information on how to access naloxone or to receive a training on how to administer it, please contact the County of San Diego Behavioral Health Services Harm Reduction Team at HarmReduction.HHSA@sdcounty.ca.gov.

Do you or someone you know need support or resources related to substance use?

If you or someone you care about is struggling, there are programs, medication-assisted treatments, and recovery support services available in San Diego County. Call the San Diego Access & Crisis Line at (888) 724-7240 to speak with a trained professional today and learn about resources to meet your needs.

To get connected to general community resources, you can also contact 2-1-1.

Additional Links

It’s Up to Us – Suicide Prevention, Substance Use Prevention, and Stigma Reduction ResourcesOpioid Overdose Surveillance and Prevention in San Diego CountySan Diego County Behavioral Health Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Understanding Drug Overdoses and DeathsSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Opioid Overdoses