NARCAN® (naloxone)
NARCAN® Nasal Spray (naloxone) is designed to rapidly reverse the effects of a life-threatening opioid emergency.
Photos and information courtesy of Emergent
WHEN TO USE
- Use to “revive” someone during an overdose from many prescription pain medications or street drugs such as heroin
- Safe to use even if opioids are not present
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
- Will not wake up or respond to a loud voice or rubbing firmly on the middle of their chest
- Breathing is very slow, uneven, or has stopped
- Center part of eye is very small, sometimes called “pinpoint pupils”
- Fingernails and lips turning blue or purple
HOW TO GET
Having NARCAN in your first-aid kit or carrying it with you on the go can save lives.
You may find Narcan dispenser boxes at the following locations:
Jones 421 Market
- 421 N Phillips Ave, Sioux Falls
Falls Community Health
- 521 N Main Ave, Sioux Falls
Tires, Tires, Tires
- 2317 S Minnesota Ave, Sioux Falls
- 1720 S St Michaels Cir, Sioux Falls
Pump ‘n Pak
- 629 Stanford St, Vermillion
Capital Area Counseling Service
- 2001 Eastgate Avenue, Pierre
Project Recovery
- 625 Flormann St, Rapid City
HOW TO USE
WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF A SUSPECTED OPIOID EMERGENCY
Resources
IMPORTANT
- For use in the nose only
- Do not test nasal spray device before use
- 1 nasal spray device contains 1 dose of medicine
- Each device sprays 1 time only
STEP
1
CHECK IF YOU SUSPECT AN OVERDOSE
- CHECK for a suspected overdose: the person will not wake up or is very sleepy or not breathing well.
- Yell “Wake up!”
- Shake the person gently.
- If the person is not awake, go to Step 2.
STEP
2
GIVE 1ST DOSE IN THE NOSE
- HOLD the nasal spray device with your thumb on the bottom of the plunger.
- INSERT the nozzle into either NOSTRIL.
- PRESS the plunger firmly to give the 1st dose.
- 1 nasal spray device contains 1 dose.
STEP
3
CALL
- CALL 911 immediately after giving the 1st dose.
STEP
4
WATCH & GIVE
- WAIT 2-3 minutes after the 1st dose to give the medicine time to work.
- If the person wakes up: go to Step 5.
- If the person does not wake up:
- CONTINUE TO GIVE doses every 2-3 minutes until the person wakes up.
- It is safe to keep giving doses.
STEP
5
STAY
- STAY until ambulance arrives: even if the person wakes up.
- GIVE another dose if the person becomes very sleepy again.
- You may need to give all the doses in the pack.
Looking for More?
Latest NARCAN Headlines
First over-the-counter Narcan shipped to stores
Opioid overdose reversal drug, Narcan, should be available over-the-counter next week. Narcan’s manufacturer, Emergent BioSolutions, announced Wednesday that it has shipped its product to leading mass, drug/pharmacy, and grocery stores, as well as online…
FDA approves first over-the-counter drug to reverse opioid overdoses
WASHINGTON — With the number of opioid overdose deaths in the U.S. increasing more than 17% in just one year, the Food and Drug Administration has approved an over-the-counter drug for opioid overdose reversal.…
Gary Michaels and Dale Northduft of Tires, Tires, Tires pictured with Emily’s Hope CEO/founder, Angela Kennecke placing a naloxone distribution box at Tires, Tires, Tires Sioux Falls.
“If it can save one life, it’s well worth it. The cost to our business for the boxes is nothing compared to the value of someone’s child making it home at night.”
Gary Michaels
General Manager
Tires, Tires, Tires
Gary Michaels, General Manager at Tires, Tires, Tires
Naloxone Distribution Program
Gary Michaels, General Manager at Tires, Tires, Tires, has been an advocate for having naloxone readily available after experiencing firsthand the devastating impact of fentanyl poisoning. Four years ago, one of his employees died after relapsing. Despite completing treatment, the employee bought drugs laced with fentanyl from a nearby business and died in the parking lot. This loss deeply affected Gary and his wife, Mary, who had already been touched by the overdose crisis. Their oldest son’s friend, Ryan Blomberg, a gifted musician, also died from fentanyl poisoning. Gary still recalls Ryan’s incredible talent at the piano, leaving a bittersweet memory of what was lost.
As a former paramedic, Gary understood the importance of naloxone as a life-saving tool. However, when he initially sought to keep it on hand at his store, the medication was only available by prescription. Despite reaching out to pharmacies and even the fire department, he faced barriers, including concerns about stigma.
Everything changed last summer when Gary discovered Emily’s Hope’s free naloxone dispenser box at the Jones421 Building in Sioux Falls. He called it, “The coolest thing I’ve ever seen for a horrible situation.” Inspired, he approached Tires, Tires, Tires owner, Dale Northduft, and together they decided to support the program. Gary reached out to Emily’s Hope to request two dispenser boxes for their Sioux Falls locations, even offering to cover the cost of the boxes. Emily’s Hope supplied the naloxone kits, making the collaboration seamless.
Initially, there was resistance. Gary recalls a few customers questioning why they were “helping” people who use drugs. Patiently, he and his team explained that naloxone saves lives and provides a chance for recovery. Thanks to increased awareness from Emily’s Hope, Gary has seen the stigma diminish significantly. He’s even noticed students from local colleges stopping by to take naloxone kits.
Since the installation of the Emily’s Hope naloxone boxes in August 2024, the two locations have distributed 189 kits—an astounding 378 doses of naloxone.
Reflecting on the impact, Gary says, “It’s more than I ever expected. If it can save one life, it’s well worth it. I couldn’t be more proud to partner with an organization like Emily’s Hope. The cost to our business for the boxes is nothing compared to the value of someone’s child making it home at night.”