Naloxone is a safe medication that reverses the signs of opioid overdose by blocking the effects of opioids in the brain. In Canada naloxone is available in the intramuscular (i.e., injectable) and intranasal (i.e., nasal spray) formulations. Naloxone reverses the effects of opioids including heroin, fentanyl, morphine, methadone, codeine, oxycodone and many others. Naloxone can be given by a spray into the nose or by an injection into the muscle. Naloxone can take between 2 – 5 minutes to work, can last in the body for up to 2 hours and cause withdrawal symptoms.
Find out where naloxone is available in your community.
As a harm reduction strategy, The Works offers a take home naloxone program called Preventing Opioid Overdose in Toronto (POINT). POINT trains people who use opioids, their friends and family to respond to an opioid overdose using naloxone.
Naloxone can be easily administered and is the most effective way to reverse an opioid overdose. Getting trained to use naloxone gives you the skills to help save someone’s life in an overdose situation. The Works provides POINT training and naloxone kits for FREE to opioid users, their friends, and family.
POINT training takes less than 20 minutes and provides you with information on preventing, recognizing, and responding to overdose. Trained clients will receive a kit with two doses of naloxone and everything needed to administer the naloxone.
POINT is offered at The Works Monday to Friday and on the Works van in the evenings. Clients are encouraged to call The Works at 416-392-0520 to request a POINT training.
NOTE: The Works cannot provide naloxone kits for staff at community organizations. Naloxone for your first aid kit can be purchased through a local pharmacy.
The Ontario Naloxone Program, a program of the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has designated public health units in Ontario as naloxone distribution leads for eligible community organizations to increase the distribution of naloxone to those most at risk of opioid overdose.
Review the process and eligibility to become a naloxone distributor.
For individuals and staff at community-based organizations who would like to learn how to administer naloxone and learn about your potential roles as overdose responders, The Works at Toronto Public Health is providing free online training. This training reviews the signs of opioid overdose, risk factors for opioid overdose, and how to respond to an opioid overdose including how to administer naloxone.
The Works’ overdose training is available as an on-demand module and pre-scheduled live webinar. Please click the applicable button below to access the module or webinar registration page.
Launch the Overdose Training Module
Download the Overdose Training Module as a PDF.
Register for a Webinar Session
The live webinar schedule will be updated as new sessions are added. Please check back for new dates.
To follow up on training content or request consultation for organizational overdose policy development, contact workstraining@toronto.ca.
This online training does not provide a naloxone kit. To get your kit, find out where naloxone is available in your community.