SAFER KANSAS
Accidental overdose, including fentanyl poisoning, is now the leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year-olds. It is always a better option to not use. But if you or someone you know does, never use alone and carry naloxone!
(2019) General Mortality. Kansas Department of Health and Environment. kdhe.ks.gov/1404/General-Mortality
Fentanyl is Not Easy to Spot!
Substance use and Youth, What’s the Truth?
Everyone knows that everyone is using drugs, or do we? The KCTC data from 2024 revealed some surprising results for prescription drug misuse
- More than 90% of Kansas teens reported never misusing prescription pain relievers, tranquilizers, or stimulants in their lifetime. Meaning only 8.63% of youth had used at least once in their whole life
- When asked “how much do you think people risk harming themselves if they take fentanyl accidentally or on purpose” 84% of youth answered it would cause a great risk to physical and or mental health.
(2024) Student Survey/State of Kansas/Prescription Drug Misuse. Kansas Communities that Care. https://results.kctcdata.org/Home/StudentSurvey?SurveyType=KCTC&CodeSelection=CTY&countyId=30120-0&categoryId=13
Though the data shows that teens are not using as much as people may assume, and that they understand the great risk involved with taking these substances, we are still losing close to 100 teens and young adults to overdose deaths every year in Kansas. That is where Naloxone comes in, to give those who choose to use a second chance to choose differently in the future.
What is Naloxone?
Naloxone is the same substance as Narcan, it is just the name of the medication! Either way you say it, it is an opioid overdose reversal drug that counteracts the life-threatening effects of an opioid overdose. Be prepared with your own naloxone and use the links below to order kits or find the location of the nearest naloxone vending machine.
If you have any questions, please reach out to naloxone@dccca.org.
But how do I use Naloxone?
To learn the ins and outs of Naloxone and how to use it in an emergency, click on the buttons on the left to choose a learning method that works best for you. The links will either register you for an existing class or request a private training for a whole group. All training formats are FREE for anyone living in Kansas!
Through the Naloxone Training course, you will:
– Learn the impact the opioid crisis has had historically and currently across the United States and here in Kansas
– Find out what is physically happening to the brain and body while using opioids
– Understand how to prevent, recognize, and respond to an opioid overdose
-Learn the differences between an opioid overdose and a stimulant overdose
– Explore resources related to opioids in Kansas
– Learn common terms such as the chocolate chip cookie effect, one pill can kill, and more
– Learn how to administer Naloxone if an overdose is suspected.
For more information or if you have questions regarding the course please contact naloxone@dccca.org.
What Else Can I do?
Refusal Skills
There is more than one way to choose not to use. But saying no, especially to friends, can be difficult. Try out these other ways to turn down an offer:
- Let them know you have work/an assignment/ game coming up and you can’t risk having that in your system
- Come up with something else to do besides using substances
- Make a joke to play the moment off
Get Active
Check your schools and local communities to see if there is a program or coalition you can join to help prevention efforts in your area.
Spread the word on what Naloxone is and how to access it, be a resource to those around you to get help and get educated.
Learn More
There are many free toolkits, e-learning modules, webinars, YouTube videos, and other resources that are available to all individuals in Kansas to learn more about Prevention.
Many of these resources are available in both English and Spanish, click the link in the section below to access the prevention educational resources listed above.
Medication Disposal and Safety
You may have identified medication laced with fentanyl or simply need to dispose of unused or expired medication. So what now? Don’t just throw it in the trash or flush it down the toilet! Medication can contaminate the water supply and effect our environment severely.
To safely dispose of unused medication, you can use a disposal device such as Deterra. This is a drug deactivation and disposal device that will properly break down any leftover or expired medication. Deterra is available to any resident or organization in Kansas upon request.
Not all medication needs to be tossed out, they are taken for a reason! But to prevent accidental overdoses or unintentional sharing, secure your meds using a device such as a Lock Bag. These are devices that will hold your medications in a secure and locked location, using both a combination lock and key to keep your medication safely stored. Lock Bags are available to anyone living in Kansas for FREE!
Both Deterra and Lock Bags can be ordered for FREE at Medication Disposal Bags and Lock Box Request or by emailing naloxone@dccca.org!
Spread the Word!
For access to English and Spanish language educational toolkits, trainings, and prevention webinars, click Resources!
For access to all the image files from this campaign for use in your own awareness posts, click Social Media!
For a link to watch the video in a separate browser, or to download to share on social media, click Video!