1. ALWAYS HAVE NALOXONE. Tell your friends, family, and anyone you use with that you have naloxone and where it is kept. Make sure they all know how to use it.
  2. NEVER USE ALONE. If you use alone, there is no one there to call 911 or administer naloxone if needed. If you have no choice but to use alone, call Never Use Alone at 1-877-696-1996. You will be asked for your location, allergies, and any medical conditions you have. An operator will then stay on the line with you while you use. If you do not respond after a set amount of time after using, the operator will notify emergency services of your location, allergies/medical conditions and possible overdose. Put this number in your phone contacts.
  3. IF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO FENTANYL TEST STRIPS, TEST FOR FENTANYL. Heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, street anabolic steroids, and various counterfeit pills that look like Percocet, Ecstasy, Xanax and several others have been found to test positive for fentanyl and fentanyl analogues. If the test is positive, don’t use or use a smaller amount. Some people use much more dilution liquid to make the concentration less potent and then use a smaller amount (like 1/3) of this more diluted product to be safer. To purchase fentanyl strips online: bunkpolice.com, dancesafe.org, BTNX.com. Fentanyl testing strips can be requested on this website.
  4. BEFORE USING, TELL OTHERS WITH YOU WHERE THE NALOXONE IS AND THAT IF ANYONE APPEARS TO OVERDOSE, GIVE NALOXONE TO THE VICTIM AND CALL 911. Georgia law protects you from being arrested, charged, or prosecuted if you call 911 for someone you suspect is overdosing and stay with the victim as long as the amount of drugs at the scene is less than 4 grams of a solid, less than 4 grams of a solid mixed in a secondary medium where the combined weight is less than 4 grams, less than an ounce of marijuana, or less than 1 milliliter of liquid (ex: in a syringe, cooker, spoon). You cannot be violated on parole or probation, on restraining orders, or if you have conditions for pre-trial release. Georgia law does not provide immunity for calling 911 if you have outstanding warrants. If possible, have a person who does not have outstanding warrants call 911 and stay at the scene with the victim.
  5. GO SLOW. If you use a drug, start with a very small amount to test the strength. You can always take more, you can never take less. If you inject drugs, inject a little bit first and wait 20 seconds to see how strong it is. If it feels off, consider not using it or using less than planned.