By
Ed Pierce
A
community coalition dedicated to raising awareness and addressing concerns resulting from substance
use and misuse in Windham and Raymond will offer free virtual training in the
use of Narcan to the community on May 18 and May 27.
The
training is sponsored by Be The Influence and the city of Portland, and can help prevent death from overdoses by reversing the
effects of opiates. Because it is a virtual presentation, training can be
completed from home and takes about an hour from start to finish.
According to Laura, Morris, executive director
of Be The Influence, a community collaborative designed to educate and help
prevent substance misuse in Windham and Raymond, learning how to safely
administer Narcan can mean the difference between life and death.
“Everybody should be equipped for this because
you never know,” Morris said. “You could possibly save a life. Wherever people
can help, this training can help reduce overdose deaths.”
Although it is usually administered by
paramedics and emergency responders, Narcan can be administered by anyone who
has been properly trained in its use. Those attending the virtual training
sessions will receive instruction about risk factors for an opioid overdose, as
well as how to recognize and respond by administering Narcan.
Naloxone, sold under the brand name Narcan, works by blocking opioids from
attaching to opioid receptors in the brain and only works on those overdosing
from opiates such as heroin and morphine.
Morris said that residents wishing to
participate in the virtual Narcan training must register at zop@portlandmaine.gov. Names and email addresses of participants will not be shared
with others and training can be done confidentially. Free samples of Narcan
will also be available at a local site to be announced soon.
Along with co-sponsoring the virtual Narcan
training, Be The Influence is continuing to work with and encourage students to
become involved and learn about the dangers of drugs and how to make healthy
decisions despite being away from classrooms during the pandemic, Morris said.
“The BTI Youth Public
Service Announcement Contest that targeted the dangers of vaping and
alternatives to self-medication is currently on our website and BTI Facebook
page as well as the American Cancer Society website,” she said. “Please
encourage other youth to submit by sending their 30- or 60-second video
to director@betheinfluencewrw.org.”
Windham Middle School
students that have submitted PSAs so far include Zocia LaWind, Sophia
Gugliuzza, Dominic Cataldi and Daphne Cyr.
Other local students also
were part of a focus group on May 7 to create a PSA about how to cope with the coronavirus
without substances.
“It is intended to raise
awareness of children experiencing trauma who are self-medicating,” Morris
said. “The student PSAs show how to overcome trauma and anxiety without
medications.”
RSU14 students also partnered
with peers in Yarmouth, Bath and Gorham to enter a PSA contest sponsored by the
American Cancer Society in conjunction with SEED, or Students Empowered to End
Dependency.
Morris said PSA contests
in general that are promoted by Be The Influence try to teach the concept of
resilience to students.
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