While overall rates of opioid overdose in the state have decreased in recent years, data from the Washington Department of Health show rates in American Indian and Alaska Native communities continue to increase and are almost double those of other populations.
The state has been taking a number of measures to address the problem, including supplying thousands of doses of naloxone to community organizations, local governments and tribes since 2019.
Jen Olson, consultant for the American Indian Health Commission, said while the data still paints a grim picture, having naloxone available has helped Native communities normalize talking about addiction.
“There are things we can do along the way of addiction and helping somebody when they’re not quite ready to go to treatment,” Olson emphasized. “We can at least make sure that we have naloxone out there, and the community knows about it, and they know how to use it to prevent an accidental death from an opioid.”
Naloxone reverses overdoses by knocking opioids off brain receptors and blocking them from reattaching. The effects are temporary, so anyone experiencing an overdose should get immediate medical attention.
Emalie Huriaux, acting director of the Office of Infectious Disease for the Washington State Department of Health, said nasal naloxone, also known as Narcan, is effective, safe and available to anyone over the counter.
“Naloxone reverses any type of opioid overdose, whether that’s fentanyl or carfentanil or other synthetic opioids,” Huriaux explained. “If people have naloxone and they think they are seeing an opioid overdose, they should absolutely administer it.”
Huriaux added naloxone is safe for people of all ages, including infants, pregnant people and older adults. She noted rural residents can order the medication through the mail from the Department of Health and the state also has a map online to help people find free naloxone near them.
Source: Public News Service
