From noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, Northern Essex Community College’s Human Services Program partnered with Emmon’s Heart to present a discussion and training in harm reduction and the administration of Narcan in the case of a suspected overdose. Participants gained knowledge about opioid overdose risks, recognition, and response steps.

According to their website, Eammon’s Heart is a nonprofit organization committed to training community members on how to administer Narcan to save lives. Due to a last-minute cancelation of their speaker, NECC Human Services Professor Lisa Fabbri Lopez did the presentation about Narcan.

What is Narcan?

Naxolone, commonly known as Narcan, is a medicine that can rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

Narcan comes in the form of a nasal spray and is safe to be administered to anyone who may be experiencing an overdose.

Narcan works by briefly blocking the effects of the opioid on the brain and restoring the breathing of a person experiencing an opioid overdose.

Why is this important?

“In the state of Massachusetts, opioids are the number two cause of death … This is why the state made its mission to address this opioid epidemic,” said Fabbri Lopez in an interview on Oct. 28.

She is Narcan trained, and she is actively working with community organizations in Lawrence in opioids prevention and Narcan usage.

Narcan, a quick opioid reversal, “that anybody can have or carry on, it does not hurt anybody,”  Fabbri Lopez explained, “if you happen to see somebody is unresponsive, unconscious, you can apply CPR and call 911, and wait but if you have Narcan, the first thing you can do is applying it immediately and it won’t harm the person, and if it is an opioid overdose, you can potentially save a life.”

Highlighting the importance of educational resources and intervention on campuses, Fabbri Lopez said “opioid usage or misusage does not discriminate, it can happen anywhere to people from any age, so at NECC human services, we work with students on these issues to create awareness.”

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is frequently mixed with other, more commonly used drugs, increasing the risk of unintentional overdoses. Thankfully, Narcan can be used to reverse fentanyl overdoses, but multiple doses may be needed.

What addiction may look like

The Oxford dictionary online defines addiction as “The fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing, or activity.”

Many things are involved with the complexity behind drug addiction and how it works to rewire your brain, such as brain chemistry, genetics, environmental factors, developmental factors, psychological factors, and behavioral aspects. Addictive substances alter the brain’s reward system, often increasing dopamine levels, which reinforces the desire to use them.

“The opioid is attaching to the pleasure center of the brain which is the middle part of our brain and it’s literally burning those receptors out and what it is telling the brain is oh no you want this instead. Like that’s really what’s happening and hijacks the brain and so that’s why the person that’s opioid-addicted is on a mission— it’s not because they’re a bad person it’s because the brain has been hijacked,” said Fabbri Lopez in the Oct. 3 presentation.  With prolonged use, physical dependence may develop, leading to withdrawal symptoms that drive continued use.

What is Harm Reduction?

While harm reduction is not specific to drug addiction and drug use, it is an intentional practice(s) that can be used to reduce the harm when using drugs and opioids.

Possible Harm Reduction Methods to Use for People Who Use Opiods:

• Carrying Narcan
• Using clean needles
• Never use alone
• Using fentanyl test strips
• Group therapy                                             
• Reducing the amount being used daily
• Shelters                                                        
• Staying educated

Police and first responders carry Narcan but it  also can be carried and applied by anyone, it does not need a special certification, and it is easy to use. NECC students or faculty can get Narcan by attending presentations like this one. Also, people can find online an organization near them that provides it. It is free of charge. “We may not be able to prevent people of using (opioids) but let’s prevent people from dying,” said Fabbri Lopez in an interview on Oct. 28.

Note: The editor-in-chief, Daniela Valdivia-Terres, contributed to this article by interviewing professor Lisa Fabbri Lopez.