Twin Cities Restaurant and Bar Workers are Serving as ‘First Responders’ Amid the Opioid Crisis
December 23, 2024 | 1 min to read
As fentanyl exacerbates the American opioid crisis, restaurant and bar workers are stepping up as vital figures in overdose response and harm reduction. Sarah Webster Norton expertly administers naloxone, a life-saving medication that reverses opioid overdoses by attaching to receptors in the body and restoring breathing. While naloxone provides temporary relief, lasting 30 to 90 minutes, it serves as a crucial "Band-Aid solution" until paramedics arrive.
As fentanyl continues to drive the American opioid crisis, restaurant and bar workers are emerging as essential players in overdose response and harm reduction efforts
Sarah Webster Norton’s hands are steady as she inverts the small glass vial and punctures its rubber seal with a needle. She draws the liquid — a clear, water-based solution of naloxone hydrochloride — into the syringe, angling the vial to take in every possible drop.
From there, the process is fairly fast and intuitive: To treat a person experiencing an opioid overdose, she has to inject the needle into a muscular part of their body, like the shoulder or thigh, and push down on the plunger to empty the syringe.
Then the naloxone goes to work: By attaching to opioid receptors in the body, it has the power to rapidly reverse an overdose and restore breathing. Sometimes, the first dose isn’t sufficient, so multiple doses are needed. Naloxone, once administered, remains effective for 30 to 90 minutes, so it’s not a permanent solution — rather a “Band-Aid solution” until paramedics arrive, Webster Norton says. But it can buy crucial, often life-saving time.
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