substance and addiction prevention branch

Resources for people who use drugs

Key Takeaways

Always carry naloxone and let others know you have it in case of an overdose.
Test your drugs for fentanyl using Fentanyl Test Strips – fentanyl can be hidden in many drugs.
Use clean syringes to lower the risk of infections if injecting drugs.
Be very careful if mixing drugs or avoid mixing - it raises the risk of overdose.
Do not use drugs alone. Call a hotline like Never Use Alone if you don’t have a trusted person with you.
Know the signs of an overdose and how to respond, including giving naloxone.
Treatment and support are available when you are ready.

Resources for people who use drugs

Harm reduction is an approach that aims to reduce harm rather than eliminate risk, including safer and managed drug use to prevent injury, disease, overdose, and death. Below is a list of harm reduction tips and resources for people who use drugs and others who may be at risk of an overdose.

This information is not meant as medical or legal advice. For medical advice, reach out to a healthcare professional, and for legal advice, reach out to an attorney.

Always carry naloxone
Test your drugs for fentanyl with fentanyl test strips
Use sterile syringes if injecting drugs
Use excessive caution if mixing drugs
Do not use drugs alone
Know how to recognize and respond to an overdose
Find treatment and support
Store medications or drugs in a lock box and out of reach

Always carry naloxone.

Naloxone is a life-saving medication used to reverse an opioid overdose, including overdose related to heroin, fentanyl, or prescription opioid medications. To reverse a fentanyl overdose, two or more doses of naloxone may be needed. Anyone can carry naloxone, use it on someone having an overdose, and potentially save a life. If you use drugs, let others know you have naloxone in case you experience an opioid overdose, because you cannot use naloxone on yourself.

Find Naloxone and Harm Reduction Resources Near You: This webpage provides a national community-based naloxone finder map to help people find naloxone in their community.
How to Respond to an Overdose: This video teaches you the steps to reverse an opioid overdose using naloxone.

Test your drugs for fentanyl with fentanyl test strips.

Illicitly manufactured fentanyl can be mixed into other drugs such as heroin, methamphetamine, or cocaine, and is often purposely added to counterfeit pills sold as opioids or benzodiazepines. There is always the risk of a fentanyl overdose when using illicit drugs. Fentanyl test strips will help you know if your drug sample contains fentanyl. Use fentanyl test strips with injectable drugs, pills, or powders.

Checking for Fentanyl: Visit this webpage to better understand the potential risks and learn more about drug checking
Fentanyl Use Information and Tips to Avoid Fentanyl Overdose: This website has information about the risks of using fentanyl and has several harm reduction tips to prevent a fentanyl overdose.
How to Test Drugs Using Fentanyl Test Strips (PDF): This guide has step-by-step instructions on how to test drugs using fentanyl test strips. It also includes tips to lower your risk of a drug overdose.
Syringe Service Programs in California: This website provides a list of syringe services programs (SSPs) in California that offer harm reduction services such as free fentanyl test strips. SSPs provide new syringes, collect used syringes, and provide education, and support services to the public. They may also be able to offer or link you to testing for HIV and hepatitis C, which can both be spread by sharing used syringes and other injection equipment. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) works closely with many SSPs to provide free fentanyl test strips and naloxone to improve the health and well-being of those who use drugs.
Video Demonstration: How to Use Fentanyl Test Strips: This video shows how to use fentanyl test strips to test your drugs for the presence of fentanyl.

Use sterile syringes if injecting drugs.

Find a harm reduction program in your community that provides sterile injection equipment and pipes.

Use excessive caution if mixing drugs.

Whether intentional or not, mixing drugs or mixing drugs with alcohol, is not safe. Drugs taken together can interact in unpredictable ways and can increase or decrease their overall effect. Mixing drugs is associated with a greater risk of overdose and death. Visit the Polysubstance Use Facts webpage to learn more about the dangers of mixing drugs.

Do not use drugs alone.

Never Use Alone Hotline is a free service that a person can call when using drugs alone. An operator stays on the line and will notify emergency services if the person stops responding after using drugs.

English: 800-484-3731
Spanish: 800-928-5330

Safe Spot is a hotline people can call to be connected with support while they are using drugs. They are available 24/7 to anyone regardless of their location.

Hotline: 1-800-972-0590

Know how to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose.

Bystanders such as people who use drugs, friends, and family, including people who aren’t health care providers can save a life by learning how to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose. Even if you are not sure if someone is experiencing an opioid overdose, treat it like one, including giving the person naloxone and performing rescue breathing.

What to do in case of an overdose:

Give naloxone and call 911.
Keep the person awake and breathing.
Lay the person on their side to prevent choking.
Stay with the person until 911 responders arrive.

California Department of Public Health’s Naloxone webpage lists the signs of an overdose and steps for how to respond to an overdose.
How to Reverse Opioid Overdose: Naloxone and Rescue Breathing: This video gives complete instructions on overdose response, including giving naloxone and rescue breathing.
How to Respond to an Overdose: This video teaches you the steps to reverse an opioid overdose using naloxone.

Find treatment and support.

Choose Change California is a Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) program that helps people with opioid use disorder and stimulant use disorder. This website has a list of licensed providers in California who specialize in these treatments. Once you are on the website, enter your zip code in the box in the upper right-hand corner of the webpage to locate licensed providers near you.
Be Empow(ER)ed!: Know Your Rights to Addiction Care for Drug and Alcohol-Related ER Visits (PDF) is a guide from the Legal Action Center. This easy-to-read guide can help you if you are not given the help you need.
Non-Emergency Treatment Referral Line (1-800-879-2772) is a DHCS substance use disorder referral line in English and Spanish that connects people to local resources and services from their County Alcohol and Other Drugs Program Office.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (988) is a confidential, free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week service that provides support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. The 988 Lifeline offers mental health prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones. The previous 1-800-273-TALK (8255) phone number remains active.
Shatterproof is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to reversing the addiction crisis in the United States. Its mission is to increase access to recovery, prevention, and mental health resources for everyone who needs them.

Store medications or drugs in a lock box and out of reach.

Children, in particular, are at risk of accidental overdose when medications or drugs are not locked up and stored out of reach. Preventing access to prescription medications by locking them up is one step you can take to keep your loved ones safe.