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Opioid Response

Opioid Education and Awareness

Walla Walla Community College is in compliance with HB 2112 and the State’s Good Samaritan Law. Among other things, the legislation requires higher education institutions to make free naloxone and fentanyl test strips available to students and to provide prevention education available to students, parents, and legal guardians.

Signs of an opioid overdose

According to the Center for Disease Control, 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, constricted “pinpoint pupils”
Falling asleep or loss of consciousness
Slow, shallow breathing
Choking or gurgling sounds
Limp body
Pale, blue, or cold skin

To learn more, view the Washington State Department of Health’s Overdose Prevention, Recognition, and Response website and visit stopoverdose.org.

Treating Opioid Overdose

If you suspect a person is a victim of opioid overdose, you should:

Step 1 – Identify Opioid Overdose and Check for Response

Ask person if he or she is okay and shout name.
Shake shoulders and firmly rub the middle of their chest.
Check for signs of an opioid overdose.
Lay the person on their back to receive a dose of NARCAN® Nasal Spray.

Step 2 – Give NARCAN® Nasal Spray

Remove NARCAN® Nasal Spray from the box. Peel back the tab with the circle to open the NARCAN® Nasal Spray.
Hold the NARCAN® Nasal Spray with your thumb on the bottom of the plunger and your first and middle fingers on either side of the nozzle.
Gently insert the tip of the nozzle into either nostril. Tilt the person’s head back and provide support under the neck with your hand. Gently insert the tip of the nozzle into one nostril, until your fingers on either side of the nozzle are against the bottom of the person’s nose.
Press the plunger firmly to give the dose of NARCAN® Nasal Spray.
Remove the NARCAN® Nasal Spray from the nostril after giving the dose.

Step 3 – Call for Emergency Medical Help, and Support

Call 911: Get emergency medical help right away.
Move the person on their side (recovery position) after giving NARCAN® Nasal Spray.
Watch the person closely.
If the person does not respond by waking up, to voice or touch, or breathing normally another dose may be given. NARCAN® Nasal Spray may be dosed every 2 to 3 minutes, if available.
Repeat Step 2 using a new NARCAN® Nasal Spray to give another dose in the other nostril. If additional NARCAN® Nasal Sprays are available, repeat step 2 every 2 to 3 minutes until the person responds or emergency medical help is received.

Naloxone can rapidly reverse the overdose effects and restore normal breathing. However, Naloxone is effective for only 30-60 minutes. So, emergency care is still important to ensure that the victim of an overdose does not revert to their overdose state.

Administering Naloxone to a person who may be suffering from alcohol poisoning or sedative overdose will not harm them — but it will also not help them. Calling 911 to request emergency services is critical.

Get assistance

To seek help for a suspected opioid overdose, please first call 911, then contact Safety & Security at 509.526.SAFE (7233).

Campus Locations for Free Naloxone and Fentanyl Test Strips

In compliance with HB 2112 – 2023-24, Walla Walla Community College provides naloxone and fentanyl test strips free of charge.

Naloxone: Naloxone is a medicine that temporarily stops the effect of opioids. This helps a person start to breathe again and wake up from an opioid overdose. Naloxone (the generic name) is also sold under the brand names Narcan®.

Fentanyl Test Strips: Test strips can tell you if your drugs contain fentanyl but not how much fentanyl there is or how strong it is. Fentanyl is a powerful drug that can be absorbed into the body via inhalation, oral exposure, ingestion, or skin contact. Care should be taken and proper protective equipment used during the handling of any substance suspected to be Fentanyl to avoid self exposure.”

Currently, Naloxone and Fentanyl test strips can be found located in Building J and Building D.

Walla Walla Campus	Clarkston Campus
Building J, Student Food Pantry (Room 302) Building D, Resource Table just outside the Admin 1 administrative offices	Main office at the front entrance.

Additional information and resources

Administering Naloxone instruction video
Fentanyl test strip instruction video
Next Distro – Naloxone is a state based locater for Naloxone to be mailed to you at no cost through community programs
WA State Dept of Health Drug Resource Hub
Carry a Second Chance – Naloxone Resources
WA Friends for Life – Overdose Resources

More Information

Answers to frequently asked questions and additional information can be found here.

Protection for Those Rendering Aid

Under Washington law, RCW 4.24.300, the state protects anyone who is helping someone suffering from a medical emergency from civil liabilities.

Additionally, RCW 69.50.315 allows for people assisting someone having an overdose and the overdose victim to gain immunity from certain criminal charges. The goal of this law is to decrease the amount of opioid, alcohol, and other drug-related deaths and make it easier for people to seek help when they need it.

If someone in Washington seeks medical assistant for a drug-related overdose, he or she cannot receive a charge for drug possession.

If someone in Washington is experiencing an overdose, he or she cannot receive a drug possession charge.

Anyone in Washington who might experience or witness an opioid overdose can carry and administer naloxone.

Can I Use NARCAN® on Myself?

No, NARCAN® is administered to someone after an overdose has occurred. Because the individual who overdosed is likely unconscious and/or their movement and breathing are restricted, they would need assistance.

Is NARCAN® Addictive?

No, NARCAN® is safe to use and is not addictive.

How Many Doses of NARCAN® Do I need to Give if Someone is Overdosing?

Naloxone is a fast-acting drug that can reverse opioid overdose and restore normal breathing within 2-3 minutes. Additional doses of naloxone may be needed for larger quantities of opioids or more potent opioids, like fentanyl. If the person who has overdosed remains unresponsive, keep giving additional doses (if available) until they’re alert or until emergency assistance arrives.

Does NARCAN® Have Side Effects?

NARCAN® can (but does not always) cause withdrawal symptoms or unpleasant physical reactions, in people who are physically dependent on opioids. Withdrawal symptoms may include fever, anxiety, irritability, rapid heart rate, sweating, nausea, vomiting, and tremors.

Is NARCAN® Harmful?

NARCAN® won’t harm someone if they’re overdosing on opioids or other drugs, so it’s always best to use it if you think someone is overdosing

Can Anyone Carry NARCAN®?

Yes, anyone can purchase and/or carry NARCAN® to help respond to an overdose. Having NARCAN® available allows bystanders to help save lives by preventing a fatal overdose.

How Does NARCAN® Nasal Spray Work?

Naloxone, the active ingredient in NARCAN® Nasal Spray, competes with opioids to bind with the same receptors in the brain, reversing the effects of opioid overdose in 2 to 3 minutes. This allows time for emergency medical help to arrive.

Does NARCAN® Nasal Spray Work if Someone is not Breathing

A person does not need to be breathing for NARCAN® nasal Spray to work. NARCAN® Nasal Spray is sprayed in the nose and the medicine is absorbed there (by the nasal mucous membrane). It does not need to be inhaled (breathed in by the lungs) for the medicine to work.

Can I Reuse a Single Device of NARCAN® Nasal Spray?

No, you cannot reuse NARCAN® Nasal Spray. Each device contains one dose of medicine. The device is intended to be sprayed once and then discarded. Do Not Test Before Use.

How do I Store NARCAN® Nasal Spray?

Store at room temperature, between 36°F and 77°F (2°C to 25°C).

Do not freeze.
Avoid excessive heat above 104°F (40°C).
Protect from light.

Informative Video Resources

WA State Overdose Prevention and Response Training from stopoverdose.org (in English w/subtitles)

Capacitación Sobre Prevención y Respeusta en una Sobredosis

Protect Yourself from the Dangers of Fentanyl