Reduce the risk of harm
Ways to reduce the risk of harm to yourself and others when using drugs.
Remember, if someone is in immediate danger call 999 for an ambulance.
Reduce the risk of overdose
- Don’t use alone. 60% of people who die from an opioid overdose were using alone.
- Make a safety plan, tell someone you are using and where you are.
- Stagger it. If you’re with someone else, don’t all use at the same time with no-one to help if you need it.
- Start low, go slow. Assume any drug is something else. It’s not easy but seeing how you feel after a small dose could save your life.
- Take precautions whether you smoke or inject drugs.
Signs of overdose
Signs can include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Blue colouring to the lips or fingertips
- Unresponsiveness
- Limp limbs
If someone has overdosed
Act quickly:
- Dial 999 for an ambulance
- Check if they are breathing
- Put them in the recovery position
- Administer Naloxone. Start with one dose. Wait a minute or two to see if normal breathing resumes
- If it doesn’t, administer another dose of naloxone.
- Stay with them until the ambulance arrives.
Where to get Naloxone
Naloxone is a medication that reverses an opioid overdose. Even if you’re not sure what the person has taken, you can administer Naloxone. If they have not taken opioids, Naloxone will not harm them.
Naloxone is available as a nasal spray or injectable. Both are available from Better Lives and pharmacies in the borough.
Look out for pharmacies and community venues with the sticker in the window. Or view an interactive map of pharmacies with substance use provisions under the 'Education and health' category.
Needle exchanges in Islington
You can access clean and unused needles at needle exchanges in Islington. Using clean and unused needles reduces the spread of blood born viruses (hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV).
Look out for the sticker in the window of pharmacies to find one that offers needle exchange, or check this list:
- Apex Pharmacy (Essex Rd), 204 Essex Road, N1 3AP
- Apex Pharmacy (Old St), 199 Old Street, EC1V 9NP
- Arkle Pharmacy, 39 Junction Road, N19 5QU
- Atkins Chemist, 124 Holloway Road, N7 8JE
- Caledonian Pharmacy, 486A Caledonian Road, N7 9RP
- Carters Chemist, 47 Roman Way, N7 8XF
- Clerkenwell Pharmacy, 51 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QL
- Clockwork Pharmacy, 273 Caledonian Road, N1 1EF
- Dermacia Pharmacy, 260 Upper Street, N1 2UQ
- Devs Chemist (Atchem Ltd), 110 Seven Sisters Road, N7 6AE
- Egerton Pharmacy, 147 Holloway Road, N7 8LX
- Highbury Pharmacy, 14 Highbury Park, N5 2AB
- Hornsey Road Pharmacy, 84 Hornsey Road, N7 7NN
- J.C Wise Chemist, 518 Hornsey Road, N19 3QN
- Nuchem Pharmaceuticals Ltd, 159 Stroud Green Road, N4 3PZ
- Savemain Pharmacy Ltd, 166–168 Essex Road, N1 8LY
- Wellcare Medical/Anvi Ltd, 552 Holloway Road, N7 6JP
- York Pharmacy, 404 York Way, N7 9LR
