What is Narcan?
An Interview with Director of Operations at A New PATH, April Ella.
“That’s interesting.” A customer quipped as I checked them out here at La Loupe. This isn’t an unusual reaction to items we carry in the shop. We stock an assortment of funky vintage clothing and accessories, as well as fun curated gifts– for example we have a hot dog candle on our sales floor right now.
“What?” I looked around confused, unsure of what shocked our customer today.
“Why do you have Narcan?” the customer motioned to the few boxes of Narcan we have behind the counter. This past month our friends from A New PATH pop-up in the store and handed out free harm reduction kits and information to anyone who wanted more info on Naloxone.
To answer our customer’s question plainly: one of our core pillars at La Loupe is community aid, and to achieve that goal we support causes that resonate with our staff and customers alike as frequently as possible. So to further educate in the name of harm reduction, I reached out to A New PATH Director of Operations, April Ella, to answer a few of my —and customers'— lingering questions about Narcan and harm reduction.
First and foremost Narcan, or Naloxone, is referred to as an “opioid antagonist.” What it does more specifically is “attaches to opioid receptors and reverses and blocks the effects of other opioids. Naloxone can quickly restore normal breathing to a person if their breathing has slowed or stopped because of an opioid overdose” according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
What follows are commonly asked questions people ask about Naloxone and April’s responses.
Why do people refuse or fear it? I asked April, “Stigma, plain and simple. The most common [response we hear from people when asked about Narcan is] "I don't do drugs," [to which my response is] Naloxone is not for you. [One] can not rescue [themself], [Narcan] is to rescue someone else!” April adds, “Another common answer is ‘I do not want to steal resources from people who actually need it.’ [While] thoughtful . . . [San Diego has] a very robust Naloxone distribution program. We want everyone to be willing to carry it on them [in order] to blanket the country with this life-saving medication.” Additionally, as April emphasized, the goal of projects like a New PATH is to distribute Narcan everywhere so that it is close by when needed.
How life saving really is this medication? Well, it's pretty amazing when you look at the numbers. April quickly rattles the stats off, “In 2023 overdose deaths dropped for the first time.” How many deaths does Narcan prevent annually? “Drug overdoses overall in 2023 were estimated at 107,543, down from 111,029 in 2022, a 3 percent drop” (Ella, April). While 3% does not sound like much, that is an estimated 3,486 individual lives saved, and it is staggering that overdoses dropped for the first time ever. While we still have a long way to go in instituting more comprehensive harm reduction and rehabilitation tactics, this helpful medication is here now.
So as someone who carries Narcan, how does one know when someone is in need of Narcan? April notes, “The person will most likely be unconscious or unresponsive, not breathing, blue lips or fingertips.” Those symptoms do not sound specific to overdose symptoms therefore many people worry, what happens if Narcan is administered and not needed? April reassures, “if the person is experiencing any other medical emergency, i.e. heart attack or stroke, injecting them with Naloxone will not cause them further medical issues or make their condition worse.”
The overarching issue surrounding Narcan is simply stigma surrounding the topic of drug abuse. Regardless of who you are, where you go, or what places you frequent nobody can ever guarantee that they will not encounter someone overdosing. Naloxone is a useful, lifesaving tool to carry with you. In summation April reinforces, “It is better to have [Narcan] and not need [it] than [to] need [it] and not have [it]. Break the stigma and move towards helpful harm reduction strategies!”
For additional resources:
Narcan in California
In San Diego
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/phs/od2a/naloxone.html www.sandiegocounty.gov
Where can I find A New PATH?
We have multiple Naloxone Access Points in San Diego, Please see our pinned post on our instagram @newpathnarcanproject. Our home office is located on 3930 Oregon St., Suite 210. San Diego, CA 92104.