Take Home Naloxone Program
The BC Centre for Disease Control started the Take Home Naloxone program in 2012. The program provides life-saving kits to people at risk of experiencing or witnessing an opioid drug poisoning (overdose). More than 2000 distribution sites across BC participate in the program.
What is Naloxone?
Naloxone is substance that temporarily reverses (antidote) the effect of opioids in the Central Nervous System (CNS).
Naloxone restores breathing that is slowed or stopped by opioids (e.g., dilaudid, morphine, heroin, methadone, fentanyl, etc.)
Naloxone temporarily reverses the effect of opioids and restores breathing; this prevents longer-term brain injury and death.
Naloxone is available in BC without a prescription. The BC Take Home Naloxone program provides kits with 3 doses of injectable naloxone.
What is Naloxone?
Naloxone is substance that temporarily reverses (antidote) the effect of opioids in the Central Nervous System (CNS).
Naloxone restores breathing that is slowed or stopped by opioids (e.g., dilaudid, morphine, heroin, methadone, fentanyl, etc.)
Naloxone temporarily reverses the effect of opioids and restores breathing; this prevents longer-term brain injury and death.
Naloxone is available in BC without a prescription. The BC Take Home Naloxone program provides kits with 3 doses of injectable naloxone.
How to get a Take Home Naloxone kit
Kits are available at no cost to:
- people at risk of an opioid drug poisoning (overdose)
- people likely to witness and respond to a a drug poisoning such as a family or friend of someone at risk
To locate a participating site near you, use our Site Finder search tool. Kits are not available to individuals directly through the BC Centre for Disease Control.
Naloxone for Not for Profit Organizations
Not-for-profit organizations that work directly with clients at risk of opioid drug poisoning may be eligible to participate in our Facility Overdose Response Box (FORB) program. Please click here for further information.
Naloxone for Businesses
BCCDC THN kits are not currently available for private businesses, however, both intranasal and injectable formulations and supplies can be purchased from a community pharmacy.
Pharmacists can provide training at the time purchase.
Group Training for Businesses
Group training sessions in Overdose Recognition and Response are available in BC through St John Ambulance.
Naloxone for Health Care Providers
Health Care employees seeking naloxone for use in the workplace should speak to their employer or regional Health Authority. The BC Take Home Naloxone program does not provide naloxone to Heath Authority sites for use in the workplace.
Medical Offices in BC
If your clinic wishes to have naloxone on site in case of a drug poisoning, visit your local pharmacy to purchase the naloxone and any supplies you may need to administer it. These pharmacies should also provide training on how to safely administer naloxone, according to guidance by the College of Pharmacists of BC in collaboration with the BC Centre for Disease Control.
Naloxone for Patients
Take Home Naloxone kits are available at no cost for patients who use drugs or are likely to witness a drug poisoning. Refer them to a nearby Take Home Naloxone site.
How to Become A Take Home Naloxone Site
The BCCDC Take Home Naloxone (THN) Program provides kits and training supplies to eligible sites for ongoing kit distribution and training to individuals likely to witness and respond to a opioid drug poisoning (such as people who use substances, family, friends and community members). The black THN kits are not intended for staff use within any workplace.
Not-for-profit organizations that work directly with clients at risk of opioid drug poisoning, needing naloxone for their employees to respond, may be eligible to participate in our Facility Overdose Response Box (FORB) program. Please click here for further information.
If your site is receiving requests to distribute the THN kits to people at risk of experiencing and/or witnessing and responding to toxic drug poisoning please follow the below steps. Please refer to the above “How to get a Take Home Naloxone kit section” for more information on sites that fall outside the scope of the program.
Step 1: Register
All sites registered for the THN program must be approved by the local health authority. To apply for the THN program, sites must complete the New Site Registration Form and contact their local Harm Reduction Coordinator for review and approval of their application. Applications can then be sent to the naloxone program for review.
Step 2: Training
Take Home Naloxone sites teach people how to use the THN kits to respond to opioid drug poisoning. Sites intending to register for the program must review the recommended training materials (Review our training materials) including an interactive learning lesson (Naloxone 101), videos, training manual and more.
About THN Trainers: A Take Home Naloxone trainer can be anyone who has reviewed and understands the required training materials specified in the New Site Registration Form and who are able to demonstrate the preparation and giving of an intramuscular (IM) injection.
Step 3: Review and Approval
We work closely with the local harm reduction coordinators on all site approvals.
You will receive confirmation email from us if your site is approved.
Step 4: Ordering Supplies
Once your site is approved, you'll be able to order Take Home Naloxone kits to distribute.
Get Naloxone
Take Home Naloxone kits are available at sites across the province.
