Medication Safety and Narcan Availability in Clatsop County, Oregon
My Piece to help inform and alert my community to a threat that has risen dramatically, and steps they can take to minimize the risk.
PAIN MEDICATION AND SAFETY
Mother’s Day is May 11th. Many of you will be welcoming little visitors into your home. We want you to have a spectacular and safe time together with no mishaps or accidents.
The US poison centers reported an increase of 449% of fentanyl exposure in children under 6 years old since 2020. Over 80% of those exposures to the drug happened at home.
Fentanyl is a well-known abused drug nationwide. It is in a class of drugs that are widely legally prescribed by doctors for the treatment of pain. There’s a possibility that you may have some of these medications in your home.
There are some actions you can take to focus on safety, especially if you have been prescribed any narcotic pain medications or have any old ones hanging around.
KNOW YOUR MEDICATIONS
Narcotic pain medications go by many names, and the following is not a complete list. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about the medications you are being prescribed.
- Morphine (Morphagesic, Oramorph, Duramorph, MS Contin)
- Hydromorphone (Dilaudid)
- Fentanyl (Duragesic, Sublimaze, Fentora)
- Oxycodone (Oxycontin, Oxycontin CR, Roxicodone, Percocet)
- Hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lortab, Norco, Co-Gesic)
- Codeine (Tylenol 3, often used for cough)
MEDICATION STORAGE: OUT OF REACH AND LOCKED IS BEST
- Out of Reach: Keep your medications up high out of reach of curious little hands and out of sight from curious little eyes. This includes those medications in your weekly pill dispenser and any medications you carry in your purse.
- Locked Up: Keep your medications locked up. Cabinet locks cost about $3-$10. Consider purchasing a child-resistant lock box for your medications. Keep in mind that locked boxes are considered child-resistant and are not a complete fail-safe to prevent prying hands from finding medications.
Also, always remember to keep medications in their child-resistant containers they come in and to close the lids until you hear the clicks.
- Both! Up and Away is an educational organization that helps families safeguard their homes and medicines. The gold standard is to keep medications and supplements up and away, out of sight, and locked.
RECOGNIZE A NARCOTIC OVERDOSE
- Excessively drowsy or lethargic, you might be unable to wake them up even with shaking and yelling
- Very shallow, slow, or no breathing
- Drooling or foaming at the mouth
- Vomiting, dried vomit on the mouth or face
- Pale or bluish-tinted skin
- Tiny ‘pinpoint’ pupils (the black part at the center of the eye). You will need to gently slide the eyelid up to see this sign.
REACT TO SUSPECTED NARCOTIC INGESTION
- For accidental ingestion of any medication, call 911 immediately- EVEN IF NARCAN HAS BEEN GIVEN
- Administer Narcan if narcotic ingestion is suspected
NARCAN (Naloxone) Nasal Spray
- WHAT IS NARCAN? Narcan is the brand name for a drug that reverses the effects of opiates. Naloxone is the generic name.
- IS NARCAN SAFE FOR CHILDREN? Yes! According to the CDC (2024), Narcan administration is safe for children.
- WHERE DO I GET NARCAN? Narcan is available to the public for free at the Clatsop County Department of Public Health in Astoria.
Narcan is available over the counter without a prescription and can often be found on the shelf in the First Aid section of your pharmacy.
- HOW MUCH DOES NARCAN COST? Narcan is FREE at the Clatsop County Department of Public Health which is located at 820 Exchange St in Astoria, walking distance from the Center!
Narcan typically costs between $40-$50 for two doses and is available for purchase in most pharmacies around town. Some insurance companies will cover it, and many pharmacists will write you a prescription if you want to bill your insurance.
- HOW DO I USE NARCAN? Narcan is a nasal spray, absorbed through the thin membranes inside the nose. No needles are involved. The Clatsop County Department of Public Health provides free Narcan training and even does group training in the community. You may also ask your pharmacist for a free consultation.
- HOW MUCH DO I USE? Each container of Narcan contains a single dose of the medicine, you get two of these containers in each box. Use the same dose for adults and children.
- ARE THERE ANY SIDE EFFECTS? In habitual opiate users, Narcan administration may induce opiate withdrawal, which should be medically managed. The most common side effects from Narcan are headache, nose discomfort, and muscle pain.
- ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD KNOW? Even if somebody wakes up completely after you give Narcan, you still need to call 911.
Narcan does not last as long as opiates in the body. Adults or children who have been given Narcan need to be monitored afterward by medical professionals.
Knowledge is power, and we have the power and responsibility to help keep our loved ones and community safe. Knowing what to look for and how to react in an accidental narcotic overdose is one important way to help ensure that we all maintain a safe home and a safe community.
Safety Resources:
Lock Boxes can be easily purchased from Amazon, there are several types and sizes to choose from. These typically cost between $20-$40.
Child-resistant locked containers for medication safety: Tom Sargent Safety Center at Dorenbecher Children’s Hospital offers a RemedyGuard locking bag for $10, and a Helix Lockbox for $25.
Cabinet Locks: The Tom Sargent Safety Center also offers cabinet locks for all types of cabinets; these cost anywhere between $3 and $10. There is a link to the safety center catalog below.
Tom Sargent Safety Center:
M-F 9 am – 5 pm
503-418-5666
Safety Resource Center Catalog
Website: https://www.ohsu.edu/doernbecher/safety-center-resources
Tip Sheet for Grandparents: You can download a tip sheet on medication safety for grandparents here or go to the Up and Away website: https://upandaway.org/en/resources/
Free Narcan and Narcan Training:
Clatsop County Department of Public Health
820 Exchange Street,
Suite 100
Astoria, Oregon,
(503) 325-8500
Call or drop by in person during business hours for more information or to pick up a free supply of Narcan to have in case of emergencies.
References:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 2) 5 Things to Know About Naloxone.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). Up & Away. (2025). Resources.
https://upandaway.org/en/#out-of-reach
Clatsop County Department of Public Health, Astoria, OR, 2025
Eskridge, J. (2024, March 7). Oregon Poison Center Sees a Dramatic Increase in Young Children Exposed to Fentanyl.
Oregon Health and Sciences University, Dorenbecher Children’s Hospital.
https://www.ohsu.edu/doernbecher/tom-sargent-safety-center
Oregon Health and Sciences University, Dorenbecher Children’s Hospital Safety Center Resources.
https://www.ohsu.edu/doernbecher/safety-center-resources
A very special thank you to Lisa Schuyler, Health Promotion Supervisor, Clatsop County Department of Public Health, Astoria, Oregon, 2025.