Do not wait for things to get better or for the drug to wear off - call an ambulance! Every
second lost increases the chance of permanent brain damage or death.
♦ Do not put the person into a bath tub – he/she could drown and it will not help. (However, if someone
has overdosed on stimulants, especially “Ecstasy,” and his/her body feels very hot; you can use watersoaked cloths to cool him/her while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.)
♦ Do not try to make the person vomit—he/she might inhale the vomit and suffocate.
♦ Do not give coffee or anything by mouth - it will not wake up someone who has overdosed and may
make him/her vomit.
♦ Do not inject or give stimulants to counter the effects of heroin or depressants.
♦ Do not inject saline or any other substances – it will not awaken a person who has overdosed.
♦ Do not leave the person alone except if necessary to summon help. Stay with him or her until help
arrives.
♦ Be aware that the effects of “antidotes” such as narcan or naltrexone usually do not last as long as the
effects of depressant drugs such as heroin, and the effects of the overdose are likely to reoccur after the
“antidote” effects have worn off. In some cases the “antidote” makes the situation worse. Obtain
medical help – call an ambulance!