Keep you and your loved ones safe.

In 2021, more than 106 thousand people died from drug overdoses in the United States. Of those, 353 were Idahoans.

In 2022 more than 12 hundred lives were saved by naloxone in Idaho.

South Central Public Health District is helping Idahoans battle the opioid epidemic with education, training, and resources. If you'd like to learn how to use naloxone, or would like your organization to learn, please sign up at the link above.

Warning signs of an overdose:

During an overdose, breathing can be dangerously slowed or stopped, causing brain damage or death. It’s important to recognize the signs and act fast. Signs include:

• Small or “pinpoint” pupils
• Slow, shallow breathing
• Choking sounds, snore-like gurgling
• Limp body
• Falling asleep or loss of consciousness
• Pale, blue, or cold skin (or grey toned for persons of color)
• Environmental cues (which may include needles or pill bottles around the person)

Overdoses involving illicitly-manufactured fentanyl (IMF) may present with a few different symptoms along with common opioid overdose symptoms. This includes:

• A rapid onset of symptoms within seconds to minutes of using the drug.
• Prompt stiffening of the body.
• Abrupt air loss (stopped breathing).
• Seizure like symptoms (e.g. eyes rolling back in head; foaming at mouth).

What do I do if I think someone is overdosing?

1. Check to make sure the area is safe and then call 911.
2. Give the opioid reversal medication. Wait two minutes and give a second dose if there is no reaction from the first.
3. Follow 911 dispatcher instructions and stay with the person until help arrives.

Idaho law

The Good Samaritan Law protects you from an arrest for helping anyone you think is having an overdose. This is true even if you are carrying controlled substances or drug paraphernalia.

Reduce the Stigma:

Addiction can happen to anyone. 1 in 7 Americans report a substance use disorder. In 2022, the National Institute of Health found 2.1 million Americans currently battled an opioid misuse disorder.

Opioid misuse disorder is especially common because it can start with prescription medication. The stigma surrounding this disorder limits how many people have access to treatment and prevents recovery. Talking openly about opioid misuse disorder and taking steps to prevent accidental overdoses can help save lives in your community.

Most overdoses are accidental. Children, emergency responders, and older adults can all be victim to accidental overdoses.

What is Fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine. It is especially addictive and can kill with just 2 milligrams.

Illicit drug producers are now lacing drugs with fentanyl to make them more addictive. This includes fake prescription pills. In fact, in 2022 the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) laboratory testing found 6 out of 10 fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills now contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.

In 2022, the DEA seized more than 50 million fentanyl laced pills and almost 11 thousand pounds of fentanyl powder. This combination is enough to create a lethal dose for the entire United States of America.

In 2021, Idaho Health and Welfare reported the state police seized about 125 thousand fentanyl pills. This is 5.6 times more than 2020.