Harm Reduction
Name 3 drug-related harm reduction techniques.
naloxone, fentanyl test strips, syringe exchange/service programs, safe use sites/apps
What is methadone and how does it work?
A medication assisted treatment (MAT) for an addiction to opioids. Methadone is a opioid-receptor agonist, Although it occupies and activates these opioid receptors, it does so more slowly than other opioids. In an opioid-dependent person, treatment doses lessens the symptoms of withdrawal without producing effects of euphoria.
Name 2 reasons why someone may use fentanyl test strips (non-urine related).
1. Fentanyl use is prevented. If a drug tests positive for fentanyl, they know to not use it to prevent overdose. 2. Fentanyl use is intended. If a drug tests positive for fentanyl, it confirms for the user that the drug IS fentanyl.
Name 2 locations on OSU’s campus where students can pick up naloxone for free.
Wilce center, Student Wellness Center, Residential Hall front desks, OSU Medical center James Pharmacy, East Hospital
Who founded BHR?
Dennis Pales and Pranav Padmanabhan
Give 3 harm reduction techniques that we may see in everyday life.
Sunscreen, seatbelts, condoms, sunglasses, etc…
Name 5 symptoms of opioid overdose.
Pinpoint pupils, slowed/no breathing, blue-tinted skin, unconsciousness, unresponsiveness, cold skin, clammy skin, snoring/gurgling sounds
DISCUSSION TIME
To you, is prevention a harm reduction strategy? There are no wrong answers!
What services do SOAR provide?
Text alert system, anonymous reporting, outreach services, online test strips order, safe use kits delivery
What year did we start doing naloxone training?
2021
What is the main objective of harm reduction?
Keeping people alive (or minimizing consequences) while treating drug use related issues.
Hypothetical situation: A police officer was found dead with fentanyl in his system. Headlines read: Marijuana laced with Fentanyl Causes Overdose Death in Franklin County Policy Officer. What is wrong with this statement? What is an alternate truthful title?
It is highly unlikely that weed is laced with fentanyl. Not only is it more costly for the supplier, but when the marijuana is heated for use, fentanyl burns up at a lower temp than the marijuana itself, deactivating it upon usage. An alternate truthful title may be “Fentanyl-laced Heroin Causes Policy Officer Death”.
What is rainbow fentanyl? What is a common conception of it? Is it valid?
Rainbow fentanyl is normal fentanyl with color added. Due to the “appealing” color, many people are spreading a false narrative of its appeal to children, claiming that dealers are purposefully making fentanyl pills colorful to lure children to consume these pills and become hooked/overdose on fentanyl.
DISCUSSION TIME
Why is DARE not a useful harm reduction technique?
What is our instagram username? No peeking!
What were the 3 steps in administering naloxone nasal spray?
Identify overdose, Administer nasal spray, Call for medical services
Drugs come in many forms. For example, Cocaine usually is powdered while adderall is usually a pill. When using a fentanyl test strip, why is it important to use the test in a dissolution of the entire pill or the residue from the entire bag that it comes in?
Fentanyl tends to clump, so testing for only part of the pill can still keep the risk of the untested part to be laced.
What is carfentanil?
A synthetic opioid that is 100 times more potent than fentanyl.
Why is it important to refer to someone as “person who has an alcohol use disorder” vs “alcoholic”?
Person-first language. This separates the person from the condition and emphasizes the individual and not their condition in their identity. Additional answers are also destigmatizes for individuals and aids in recovery.
Where does our VP, Taylor, work?
Espress-OH
Why is fentanyl dangerous?
Unregulated (high potency can also be counted)
Besides recreational use, name a way that someone can become dependent on a substance.
Doctors can over-prescribe a medication. [Follow up: Discuss incentives for doing so.]
Is drug checking equipment (i.e. fentanyl test strips) legal to possess in Ohio? What about their distribution?
(According to Davis et al 2022) Under normal circumstances, DCE is not legal to possess, unless distributed by a federal government-approved distribution site. Therefore, the distribution is legal (under limited circumstances).
Which substance is involved in the greatest amount of overdose-related deaths in america?
Fentanyl
Where is Dennis?
Colorado