Test your drugs.
Fentanyl is a powerful opioid and Xylazine (aka Tranq) is a tranquilizer, and both increase risk of overdose. Test strips can detect the presence of Fentanyl or Xylazine so you know if the drugs are contaminated prior to use.
Don't mix drugs.
Mixing drugs or drinking with using other substances puts you at greater risk of overdose, poisoning or other adverse reactions. This can include non-narcotic prescription medication.
Use your own sterile equipment.
Disease and infection can spread through sharing straws, pipes, syringes, syringe water and cottons. In NJ, adults can purchase up to ten syringes at pharmacies without a prescription. You must present a valid photo ID or otherwise prove you are over 18.
Never use or drink alone.
Designate a sober chaperone or stagger your use or with only one person using at a time, or call the Never Use Alone hotline 877-696-1996.
Drink water and eat food.
It's common to become dehydrated and forget to drink water when using drugs or alcohol, which can cause other health issues. Remember to also eat food beforehand.
Start low, and go slow.
Always start with a smaller amount than you think you need. You can always go back and do more, but you can never go back and do less.
Carry Narcan.
It's possible to overdose no matter how you ingest a substance (orally, intravenously, nasally). Narcan only works on opioids, and you can’t give it to yourself. Opioids stay in your body longer than Narcan, so you can overdose again, as the Narcan wears off.
Don't hesitate to call for help.
Good Samaritan Laws encourage people to seek medical attention and provide legal protection for people using or possessing drugs or drinking underage. NJ’s Overdose Prevention Act allows individuals to report drug overdoses without fear of arrest. After calling 911, stay with your friend.
Don't drive.
Even if you think you're fine, it's not worth the risk of harming yourself or someone else. In NJ, someone can be arrested and convicted of driving under the influence even if the car is parked, not running, and the key is not in the ignition.
Xylazine/tranq (pronounced zie-luh-zeen) is a very strong tranquilizer used in veterinary medicine that is not approved for human use. Xylazine is mostly found in fentanyl and heroin and increases the risk of overdose. Tranq also causes severe skin wounds no matter how it's consumed.
*Xylazine Test Strips cannot be used on cocaine.
*Narcan won't reverse the effects of Xylazine since it's not an opioid, but Narcan will still work on the fentanyl or other opioids in an overdose.
Fentanyl/fent/fette is a powerful opioid that increases risk of overdose and can be present in any substance including heroin, cocaine, crack, meth, ketamine and fake pills (pills from nonmedical sources).
