Opioid use, prescription pain medication and heroin, is low for Missouri college students with more students misusing prescription pain medication than heroin. The misuse of a prescription is defined by not using your own prescription as prescribed or using without a prescription. Opioid use in Missouri for the general population is a growing concern. The rate of hospitalizations and emergency department visits due to opioids has increased dramatically in the past decade.
We want our students to be educated on the issue, know the signs of an overdose, and what to do in case someone has an overdose.
What does an opioid overdose look like: pinpoint pupils, unresponsive or unconscious, shallow breathing, blue/gray lips, hands, fingertips.
Who is most at risk for an opioid overdose: individuals who inject drugs or are on a high dose of opioid medication are at most risk for an overdose. Other risk factors include: if they have previously overdosed, have attempted suicide, have a history of a major depressive disorder, have been abstinent from opioids for a few days or more, are mixing opioids with antidepressants, or are using alone.
What should you do if you think someone is overdosing from opioids: Call 911. If Narcan is available, administer it while medical attention is on the way.
Will I get in trouble for calling 911: The Good Samaritan Law covers both the individual experiencing the overdose and the person who called 911.
Missouri State University is part of a statewide coalition, Partners in Prevention, which has been educating students about the dangers of prescription pain medications in its MoSafeRx program since 2012. The Mo-HOPE project at the Missouri Institute of Mental Health has provided education to Missouri Partners in Prevention schools and are currently working on a partnership to provide Narcan (a prescription medicine that blocks the effects of opioids and can reverse an overdose).
(submitted by Jerilyn Reed, Taylor Health and Wellness Center)