Opioid overdoses: 5 steps for prevention

The Canadian Drug Policy Coalition has issued five key recommendations to prevent opioid overdoses:

1. Make naloxone an over-the-counter drug and readily available to those who use opiates.

2. Scale up education and training on how to prevent and respond to overdoses.

3. Reduce the barriers to calling 911 during a drug overdose by implementing national Good Samaritan legislation.

4. Implement appropriate guidelines for opioid prescriptions that do not limit access to needed pain medication or result in further discrimination against people who use drugs.

5. Increase timely collection, analysis and dissemination of information on drug overdoses.

Source: Opioid Overdose Prevention and Response in Canada