Narcan Kits Becoming a Party Essential
With the increasing threat of fentanyl being found in party drugs, people are taking extra precautions when it comes to their party habits, including having a Narcan kit on hand to prevent opioid overdoses.
Many party spaces now have people who are Narcan-trained in attendance carrying naloxone kits. Narcan/naloxone can be used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose when administered within three to five minutes of the onset of symptoms.
According to the province’s chief coroner, Lisa Lapointe, cocaine was found in 46 per cent of all fentanyl-related deaths in B.C. in 2016. This number is higher than heroin-related deaths, only 30 per cent of which contained fentanyl in the bloodstream. Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid pain medication similar to morphine, has also been found in other drugs, such as MDMA, oxycodone, and Xanax.
Man Up, a monthly party and drag show hosted at the Cobalt Cabaret in Vancouver, always has a Narcan-trained “buddy” at its shows. February’s buddy, Emily Groundwater, thinks that the crisis has started important conversations about how to party safely in the city. “It’s created a wonderful dialogue for safe party spaces,” Groundwater said, speaking in the Man Up dressing room before February’s show. “I also see it happening not just with the buddy system, but in other party spaces around the city, such as the Red Gate.”
At Man Up, the buddy on duty carries a “buddy kit.” The kit contains bottled water, tampons, granola bars, condoms, lube, and a naloxone kit. Groundwater said that the buddy system helps everyone feel safe at shows. “Most of the time, people just need a bottle of water or help getting a cab,” she said, adding that the buddy system is more frequently called upon at busier shows, such as Halloween or Pride.
Groundwater added that the key to staying safe is to never use drugs alone. “Always be with a friend,” she advised. “Especially if you’re taking substances. It’s just generally not a safe idea to be doing [drugs] alone.”
With drug overdoses claiming a staggering 914 lives in B.C. in 2016, Groundwater said that the chance of overdosing or ingesting something other than what you thought it was is high.
Student Saphira Evans, 20, started carrying a kit last year when she realized that not everyone knew how to help someone who may be overdosing, and she wanted to be among the people who could help.
“After having two friends overdose and live, I wanted to be someone who could do something if someone I know, or someone I don’t know is overdosing and something needs to be done immediately,” Evans said. “I don’t personally use, but I would highly recommend getting a drug testing kit.”
Evans got a Narcan kit for free at Fraser Health when she took a training course there. She thinks that everyone should know how to deal with an overdose if you see one happening in front of you.
“Try to stay compassionate,” Evans said. “Try to remember that [addicts] are people, too. I think there’s a lot of stigma around people who use drugs.”
Source: VancouverCourier
By: Veronnica MacKillop
