Naloxone is available from several places around campus:

• Campus Security
• Reception
• Student Services
• Library

Campus Security and First Aid personnel are trained and equipped to administer Naloxone.

You can also find kits in cabinets next to some emergency phones throughout campus:

• Level 1: outside the Reliance Theatre and outside Media Resources
• Level 2: outside the Emily Carr Boardroom
• Level 3: in the Foundation Lounge
• Level 4: by the Oasis Garden
• At The Studios @CDM: in the MFA studio

Free take-home Naloxone kits are available at ECU from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. These kits include nasal (administered through the nostril) and intramuscular (administered through a needle injection) options for overdose response.

Kits are free and available anonymously for anyone at risk of opioid overdose, or for those who may need to respond. No ID, prescription or personal information is required.

Visit Reception for a kit. Store your kit in a cool, dark, dry location, away from extreme temperatures.

You can find online training here and refresher training here.

Naloxone is safe, legal and easy to carry and you won’t get in trouble for having or using it.

Canada’s Good Samaritan Act provides some legal protection for those who seek emergency help for an overdose.

Never use alone, keep Naloxone nearby and visit Toward The Heart, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control’s Harm Reduction website for tips and support. LifeguardConnect is a helpful free app that can call for help if needed.

First, recognize the signs of an opioid overdose:

• blue or grey lips or nails
• dizziness and confusion
• drowsiness, difficulty staying awake or can’t be woken up
• choking, gurgling or snoring sounds
• slow (less than one breath every five seconds), weak or no breathing
• cold, clammy skin
• tiny pupils

Next, call for help:

• Call 9-1-1.
• If you’re on campus, call Campus Security after you call 9-1-1. Campus Security is at 604-844-3838, or use one of the black phones around campus. They Campus Security office is located on Level 2, behind Reception. Campus Security is available at all times. Campus Security is trained to administer Naloxone and first aid.

Then, if you feel comfortable, follow the S-A-V-E M-E steps:

• Stimulate: Try to wake the person. If they are unresponsive, call 9-1-1 if you haven’t already.
• Airway: Check if they are breathing normally (one breath every five seconds). Check for a pulse. Tilt their head back gently and open their mouth.
• Ventilate: Pinch their nose closed, give one breath every five seconds. You can use a breathing mask if you have one.
• Evaluate: Are they breathing normally? If not, get ready to use Naloxone.
• Medication: Prepare a 1 mL (one millilitre) dose of Naloxone. Your kit may include a nasal spray or an injectable liquid. Follow the steps to administer it.
• Evaluate again: If they are still not breathing normally, give another dose. Roll the person onto their side and stay with them until emergency services arrive. Remember that Naloxone wears off between 30 and 120 minutes and the overdose can return.

Learn more at Respond to Overdose B.C.

The BCCDC’s Harm Reduction & Substance Use Services hub has information on the toxic drug crisis in B.C. and how to access harm reduction services and supports for treatment and recovery.

Also run by the BCCDC, the Toward the Heart program distributes Naloxone to people and public institutions like ECU. They also offer training and information on toxic drug and health alerts, peer support, education and more.

The Province of B.C. has created guidelines to help post-secondary institutions like ECU develop plans to respond to the toxic drug crisis. You can read the guidelines here.

Drug checking allows people to find out what is in their substances and take action to reduce the risk of harm. In collaboration with community partners, free, anonymous drug-checking services are available in Vancouver and other communities across the region. Find out what services are available.