Stay safer

Call or text now

• Emergency: 911

  Someone won't wake up or isn't breathing normally.

• Never Use Alone: 1-800-484-3731

  If you are going to use by yourself, call. A volunteer stays on the line, asks for your location, and sends EMS to that address only if you stop responding. It is free and confidential.

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988

  Call or text for a mental health or substance use crisis, any time.

• SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357

  Free, confidential treatment referral, 24/7, in English and Spanish.

• 211: 211

  Local food, shelter, bills and other help from a person who knows your area.

Someone won't wake up? Follow the step-by-step overdose guide.

Get naloxone (Narcan)

Naloxone reverses opioid overdoses and does not harm someone who has no opioids in their body. Keep it where people can find it.

• Any pharmacy, without a prescription

  Naloxone nasal spray is sold over the counter in the US. Ask the pharmacist, or look near the pain relievers. Insurance or Medicaid may cover it.

• NEXT Distro (free by mail)

  Find free naloxone programs, including mail-based ones, in your state.

• Find treatment and harm-reduction programs

  SAMHSA's locator. Many programs hand out naloxone and test strips at no cost.

Pharmacies near you are listed under Find help (call first to check they have it).

Fentanyl and xylazine test strips

• You can't see, smell or taste fentanyl. Test strips are the only way most people can check a drug for it.
• Mix a small amount of the drug with water, dip the strip, and read it within a couple of minutes. Follow the instructions that come with your strips.
• A negative result does not mean the drug is safe. Fentanyl can be clumped in one part of a batch and missed by your sample, and strips don't detect every substance.
• Xylazine test strips are also available, and some harm-reduction programs have machines that check drugs. Xylazine doesn't respond to naloxone, but give naloxone anyway: it is usually mixed with opioids.
• Still use with someone or call Never Use Alone, keep naloxone out, and start with a small amount.
• Test strip laws differ by state. Harm-reduction programs can tell you the rules where you live.

• NIDA: Fentanyl

  How test strips work and their limits.

• NIDA: Xylazine

  What xylazine is and why naloxone is still given.

• SAMHSA overdose prevention toolkit

  Federal guidance for people who use drugs, families and responders.

Recovery meetings

Free peer meetings, many online for when you can't get a ride. Go whenever you want.

• Narcotics Anonymous

  In-person and online NA meetings.

• Alcoholics Anonymous

  Local AA contacts and online meetings.

• SMART Recovery

  Science-based, self-empowering meetings, many online.

• Recovery Dharma

  Buddhist-inspired peer meetings, online and in person.

Benefits you may qualify for

Official application pages. NarcoGuard doesn't decide eligibility or see your answers.

• USA.gov benefit finder

  Answer a few questions to see federal benefits you may qualify for.

• SNAP (food assistance)

  Apply through your state's SNAP office.

• Medicaid

  Free or low-cost health coverage, including treatment for substance use.

• WIC

  Food and support for pregnant people, new parents and young children.

• LIHEAP (heating and cooling bills)

  Help paying home energy bills.

• findhelp.org

  Search free and reduced-cost local programs by ZIP code.