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Health Unit shares video on how to use Naloxone to prevent opioid overdose

August 13, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is sharing a brief training video that provides step-by-step instructions on how to recognize an opioid poisoning and how to respond using naloxone.

Opioid use and deaths are a serious problem in Simcoe Muskoka.

Naloxone is a lifesaving medication that can temporarily reverse an opioid poisoning by restoring normal breathing in someone whose breathing has slowed or stopped.

Anyone can carry naloxone. Kits are available free of charge at most pharmacies and through many community organizations that work closely with people who use drugs.

Naloxone works quickly – usually within two to three minutes – and can be given as a nasal spray or injection. It is generally safe for people of all ages and will not harm someone who is not experiencing an opioid poisoning.

However, 9-1-1 should always be called when naloxone is given because opioids can remain in the body longer than naloxone.

Naloxone does not reverse the effects of benzodiazepines, medetomidine, or other non-opioid drugs.

If someone appears to be experiencing a drug poisoning, call 9-1-1 immediately. The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act offers some legal protection to people who provide emergency help during a drug poisoning.

There is no way to know for certain what substances may be present in the unregulated drug supply.

To reduce the risk of drug poisoning, people who use drugs should use them with someone they trust and arrange for someone to check on them.

To view the video, visit YouTube and search for “Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit: How to use naloxone.”

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