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confidentially and compe- there are many reasons
tently. I think that’s part of why people need to ring an
what the peer-based train- ambulance. If we were able
ing gives you - confidence. to dispense naloxone and
train the using community IN OUR
I think it’s important, that to administer it, then think
along with the resus train- of the reduced public health
ing, we get given naloxone costs and how many lives
we could save – everyone
at the training – it’s a vital wins, there’s no looser in O W N
lifesaving strategy. There’s this situation! Naloxone has
many barriers to prevent no black market value,, all it
users from getting nalox- can do is save a life which is
one, whether it’s the cost or a big value. Not that I would W ORDS
finding a doctor that will discourage anyone from call-
script it and then a chemist ing an ambulance but with
that will fill the script. And naloxone users can be and
finding all those things es- want to be responsible.
pecially a non-judgement-
al understanding GP is a At the training we talked
whole other ball game. So about what to do when you
to do this program with a bring a user around, what to
peer facilitator who under- do after for recovery because
stands and has witnessed an it takes a while for naloxone
overdose and knows that it’s to wear off and we need to
literally a life and death sit- keep the person safe up until
uation and it’s our lives on that time when they are com-
the line and just how scary it pos mentis again and able
is and then understands why to make a judgement. It’s
we use again the next day - the stuff you can only really
to have that sort of under- talk about with a fellow user.
We talked about different
standing is invaluable.
strategies so they don’t go off
and use again, how to delay
I’ve had to administer the calling the dealer in any way
naloxone I was given at the possible and being creative if
training on 2 occasions, and necessary. We shared strate-
1 of the times there were gies, like a friend of someone
quite a few other people there had naloxone and they
present and they came and explained to the person ‘this
got me because they knew I is what has happened to you
had done the training. So in and you aren’t going to feel
comparison to my first over- comfy for a period of time
dose prior to the training, and how about we put on a
I was calmer and I just me- CD and then see if you want
thodically went through the to score again’.”
steps (“DR ABC”) which I
learnt from the training and Some people might say a
interestingly the second time drug user isn’t the right per-
I responded to an overdose son to train drug users and
it just all clicked and I didn’t give out naloxone?
“I would try not to laugh at
need to think about the steps them because there is no
I just knew what to do and one more appropriate to
why I needed to do them and train and dispense naloxone.
put her in a certain (recov- There is no one more edu-
ery)position.” cated, there is no one better
positioned, there is no one
Why do you think it’s im- who has that sort of access.
portant peers are involved And there is no one else who
in naloxone training and can be as non-judgemental,
distribution? compassionate and under-
“It costs a lot of money for standing - it’s really a no
an ambulance call out and brainer.”

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WHACK35_LYOT.indd 34 11-Oct-16 4:25:24 PM