It is strongly recommended that Naloxone be administered to any person who shows signs of an opioid overdose. Naloxone is a benign medication and should be used whenever an opioid overdose is suspected. If the person is not overdosing on opioids or overdosing at all, Naloxone is still safe to use and will not affect the person. In California and most other states, Good Samaritan laws provide immunity to those who use Naloxone in good faith to reverse an overdose.
When in doubt, don’t be afraid to use it if overdose signs are present.
The DEA has encountered street drugs like fake pills, cocaine, heroin, etc., laced with fentanyl in recent years. Therefore, there is a possibility the person has opioids in their system, regardless of what substance the person ingested. Because of the prevalence of fentanyl in various substances, Naloxone should be used on anyone overdosing from any drug(s). As fentanyl is a highly potent opioid, 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, overdoses can happen quickly, and it’s essential to call 911 and administer Naloxone as promptly in the overdose episode as possible.