UT University Health Services

Naloxone / Narcan

Naloxone is a medication used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Naloxone is also known by the brand name Narcan, which is the nasal spray version of the medication.

Naloxone blocks the effects of drugs made from opium, or opioids. These include:

  • Heroin
  • Morphine
  • Oxycodone
  • Methadone
  • Fentanyl
  • Hydrocodone
  • Codeine

Opioids slow your breathing. If you take too much of an opioid, your breathing may stop and you could die. If given soon enough, naloxone can counter the overdose effects, usually within minutes. However, the medication only pauses the effects of opioids, and emergency medical help is still required.

Please note that naloxone will not provide medical rescue help to someone passed out or overdosing from a non-opioid substance, such as alcohol, stimulants or sedatives. Though naloxone will not help them, it also will not harm them.

Get Narcan On Campus

UT Austin students, faculty and staff can access Narcan for free and anonymously on campus. Narcan is available at the security desk in the Perry Castañeda Library as well as at the Longhorn Wellness Center (SSB 1.106).

Narcan is available for emergency access at all residence hall front desks, the Sid Richardson Library, the Life Sciences Library, the Perry Castañeda Library, and through the UT Police Department.

View all of the free naloxone access sites in Austin using this map created by SHIFT.

UT students, faculty and staff are not required to provide their name or other information to obtain the free medication. However, staff in the course of responding to a medical emergency, will collect student and other incident information to help manage the emergency.

Recognizing Opioid Overdose

A person who has overdosed from opioids may:

  • Be breathing very slow or not breathing
  • Have blue or purplish lips or fingernails
  • Be limp
  • Be vomiting or gurgling
  • Not wake up or respond if you try to rouse him

If a person shows signs of an opioid overdose:

  • Call 911 immediately.
  • Begin rescue breathing, if the person isn’t taking in air.
  • Give the person naloxone.

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