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Substance Abuse and Prevention
The Town of Mansfield cares about its community members that struggle with addiction and substance abuse. The complex disease of addiction not only affects individuals every day but touches the lives of family, friends and entire communities.
9/26/23 Press Release
The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced a partnership with Boston Medical Center and RIZE Massachusetts to fund and expand the Massachusetts Overdose Prevention Helpline. With this $350,000 investment, Massachusetts becomes the first state in the nation to fund an overdose prevention helpline – an easily accessible and life-saving overdose detection resource for people who use drugs. This is the latest step in the administration’s efforts to reduce overdose deaths in Massachusetts, which reached a record high in 2022.
To contact the Massachusetts Overdose Prevention Helpline, call 800-972-0590. For more information, visit massoverdosehelpline.org.
Attention Recovery Connections Centers of America Clients
Due to the recent closure of the Recovery Connections Centers of America if you were a client of the Center and are having problems accessing your medication for opioid use disorder the Massachusetts’ 24-7 Addiction Warmline number (617-414-4175) is available to assist. Additional Resources can be found on the Helpline website www.helplinema.org Direct link: https://helplinema.org/ma-opioid-disruption-recovery-connection/
- Naloxone and Opioid Overdose Prevention
- Reduce the Risk of Overdose
- Sharps Collection Program
- Xylazine
- More Resources
Naloxone and Opioid Overdose Prevention
What are Opioids?
Opioids are drugs that are derived from the opium plant or created synthetically to mimic the chemical composition of opium. Opioids are prescribed for pain management or addiction treatment, but they can be abused.
On average, 136 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose (CDC, 2021). In Massachusetts, there were 2,234 confirmed deaths in the year 2021 (MDPH Data Brief, 2022).
Naloxone facts and formulations
Naloxone is a life-saving drug that reverses the effects of opioids like heroin and fentanyl. Giving naloxone to someone who has overdosed prevents death by restoring normal breathing.
Getting Naloxone from a Pharmacy
Naloxone rescue kits are available at many pharmacies across the state, with or without prescriptions.
How to Reverse an Overdose
Learn how to administer naloxone, to stop an overdose and save a life.
MA Health Promotion Clearinghouse
The Clearinghouse offers free informational materials on a wide range of topics related to substance misuse prevention and treatment. You can order these items in bulk for municipalities and public agencies.
Overdose Prevention Resources
For information on opioid overdose prevention and response and information for municipalities and public agencies on how to purchase naloxone, please visit: www.mass.gov/narcan
Rehab & Treatment Helpline
Alcohol and Drug Hotline: 800-821-4357
Health Helpline: 800-272-4323
Hunger Hotline: 617-523-7010
Massachusetts Overdose Prevention Helpline: 800-972-0590. For more information, visit massoverdosehelpline.org
MA Substance Abuse Information Hotline: 800-327-5050
National Drug and Alcohol Treatment: 800-662-HELP
Poison Control: 800-682-9211
Safe Link Hotline: 877-785-2020
Samaritans (suicide help line): 988 Call or Text 24/7
Reduce the Risk of Overdose
For people who use illicit drugs, the following strategies can help reduce the risk of overdose.
- Never use alone. A trusted contact can help reduce overdose risk by giving naloxone or calling 911 in case of an emergency. People who don’t have a trusted contact nearby can take advantage of services that allow people to seek non-judgmental support over a phone or video call when they are using drugs. Never Use Alone is a nationwide service that connects callers to trained volunteers who will gather basic information about the caller’s location, stay on the line to support the caller if they plan to use substances alone, and alert 911 if the caller becomes unresponsive.
- Carry naloxone and learn how to use it. Because xylazine is often mixed with opioids like fentanyl, naloxone should be given in response to a suspected overdose to reverse any possible opioid effects. Importantly, naloxone will not reverse effects of xylazine. In the event of an overdose, call 911 for additional medical treatment.
Provide rescue breaths. Rescue breaths are especially helpful for people who have used xylazine since xylazine causes breathing to slow down.4,15 Harm reduction experts also suggest rolling individuals on their side, into the recovery position. 16,17
- Know the risks of using illicit drugs with unknown ingredients. Illicit drugs are unregulated—they don’t come with an ingredients list. As a result, dosage and purity are difficult to determine. Heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine may be mixed with xylazine or other substances. Counterfeit pills that closely resemble prescription medications and contain illicit substances are increasingly common in the illicit drug market.18
- Seek medical care for skin wounds. Skin wounds may become infected and worsen quickly. When treated early, wounds can be managed with basic wound care techniques. If left untreated, wounds can lead to amputation or become life threatening.9
- Reduce injection-related risks. According to the National Harm Reduction Coalition, the risk of infection can be reduced by using sterile injection equipment, rotating injection sites, allowing skin veins time to heal before another use, and taking drugs in other ways besides injection.
- Test drugs before using. There are commercially available test strips to test for the presence of xylazine in a sample of drugs.
Fentanyl test strips can be used to test opioids, stimulants, or prescription medications for fentanyl (Pieper et al). When people have knowledge that their drugs contain fentanyl, they can take steps to reduce their risk of opioid overdose.
Sharps Collection Program
Sharps Collection Program
In affiliation with Sturdy Memorial Hospital, the Mansfield Fire Department will gladly accept your properly contained (in an approved bio-hazard container) sharps. The collection kiosk is located in the lobby of the new Public Safety Building at 500 East St on the 1st floor. Also in the same lobby is a medication kiosk that collects unused and unwanted medications.
Biohazard Containers & Drop Off Process
All sharps (used or not) must be in a Bio Hazard container. We usually have containers to replace used ones. We can no longer accept sharps in any other type of container. (No milk cartons, laundry detergent bottles, coffee cans etc.)
When you arrive with your sharps that are not in an approved biohazard container, we will give you a container and ask that you take it home, transfer your sharps into the biohazard container, and then return the biohazard container when it is completely full.
Please, do not ever leave your sharps container at an unattended fire station.
Xylazine
What You Should Know About Xylazine
Xylazine (also called “tranq” or “tranq dope”) is a non-opioid animal sedative or tranquilizer. Although not a controlled substance in the United States, xylazine is not approved for use in people and cannot be purchased without a veterinary license.7
An animal tranquilizer called xylazine is increasingly being found in the US illicit drug supply and linked to overdose deaths.1 Xylazine can be life-threatening and is especially dangerous when combined with opioids like fentanyl.2 Due to its impact on the opioid crisis, fentanyl mixed (adulterated) with xylazine has been declared an emerging threat by the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Should naloxone be given in the case of an overdose involving xylazine?
Naloxone should be given in response to any suspected drug overdose to reverse any possible opioid effects. Naloxone will not reverse the effects of xylazine.12 However, because xylazine is often used with opioids like fentanyl, naloxone should still be given. It’s important to call 911 for additional medical treatment, especially since the effects of xylazine may continue after naloxone is given.
What should be done for someone with signs and symptoms of a possible opioid overdose or an overdose involving opioids and xylazine?
- Call 911. Stay with the person until first responders arrive. Overdose is a medical emergency. First responders can assess the situation and provide treatment.
Good Samaritan laws are in place in most states to protect those who are overdosing and anyone assisting them in an emergency from arrest, charges, or a combination of these. Learn about the laws in your state.
More Resources
Resources
MA Responds to the Opioid Epidemic Substance Use Resources
Al-Anon Family Groups of Massachusetts
National Harm Reduction Coalition
Rehab & Treatment Helpline
Alcohol and Drug Hotline: 800-821-4357
Health Helpline: 800-272-4323
Hunger Hotline: 617-523-7010
MA Substance Abuse Information Hotline: 800-327-5050 |https://helplinema.org
National Drug and Alcohol Treatment: 800-662-HELP
Poison Control: 800-682-9211
Safe Link Hotline: 877-785-2020
Samaritans (suicide help line): 988 Call or Text 24/7