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Recognize a possible drug poisoning emergency
Act if someone is unresponsive or their breathing is slow, irregular, or absent. Other warning signs include choking, gurgling, gasping, or unusually heavy-snoring sounds; very small pupils; blue, grey, or purple lips or fingernails; and cold, clammy skin. Do not wait for every sign to appear before calling for help. One or more of these signs is enough to treat the situation as an emergency.
These signs can indicate an opioid overdose, but the substance may be unknown or more than one drug may be involved. B.C. guidance warns that any street drug can be poisoned. A bystander does not need to identify the substance before calling 9-1-1 and starting the response. The priority is the person’s condition—especially whether they are responsive and breathing normally—not working out what they may have taken.
What to do: follow the B.C. SAVE-ME sequence
The Government of British Columbia says to call 9-1-1 first, then follow SAVE-ME. This is provincial guidance applicable in Vancouver; it is not a separate city-specific protocol. Tell the dispatcher where you are and what you observe, and follow any instructions they give you. If you can, keep the phone available so you can continue following the dispatcher’s directions as you help.
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The sequence is Stimulate, Airway check, Ventilate, Evaluate, Medication, and Evaluate and support. It is designed to make the immediate actions easy to remember. Naloxone is one part of the response; it does not replace the 9-1-1 call or breathing support.
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S — Stimulate
Call the person’s name. Try to wake them by squeezing their fingertips or the muscle between their neck and shoulder. The aim is to see whether they respond. If they remain unresponsive, continue through the steps rather than waiting for them to wake on their own.
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A — Airway check
Check whether they are breathing normally and check for a pulse. Look for anything visible blocking the mouth or airway and clear it if you can. Follow the dispatcher’s directions. The provincial instructions call for checking breathing and the airway; do not let uncertainty about the substance delay the emergency call or response.
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V — Ventilate
Tilt the person’s head back and lift the chin. Pinch the nose closed and give one breath into the mouth every five seconds. If a breathing mask from a take-home naloxone kit is available, you can use it as a barrier. If no mask is available, do not delay the response while searching for one; continue following the public instructions and dispatcher guidance.
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E — Evaluate
Check the person’s breathing. In this guidance, normal breathing is defined as one breath every five seconds. If breathing is not normal, continue to the medication step. Keep checking rather than assuming that a change in responsiveness means breathing has returned to normal.
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M — Medication
If breathing is not normal and naloxone is available, give one dose according to the kit instructions. Kits may contain nasal spray or injectable liquid; use the directions supplied with that kit. The route depends on the kit you have, so follow its instructions rather than guessing or trying to use it in a different way. If you do not have naloxone, continue the other response steps and follow the dispatcher’s directions.
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E — Evaluate and support
Check breathing again. If it is still not normal, continue giving breaths and give another naloxone dose every three minutes, following the kit instructions, until breathing is normal or emergency services take over. The three-minute interval is the repeat-dose timing in B.C.’s public guidance. Do not substitute naloxone for breathing support or the 9-1-1 call.
After naloxone or a change in the person’s condition
If the person is still unresponsive, place them on their side. Stay with them whether they are responsive or not until emergency services arrive. Continue watching their breathing and follow the dispatcher’s instructions. If they become responsive, that does not mean you should leave them alone; the provincial guidance says to stay until emergency services arrive.
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Naloxone does not last indefinitely. The Government of British Columbia’s Overdose Prevention and Response page says it wears off after 30 to 120 minutes and an overdose can return. That range is the province’s published guidance, not a guarantee for every formulation or clinical situation. Even if the person wakes or seems better, keep emergency services involved and remain with them. A temporary improvement is not a reason to cancel help or stop monitoring the person.
What if you do not know what drug they took?
Call 9-1-1 and provide breathing support if the person is not breathing normally. Naloxone reverses opioid overdose; it does not reverse every kind of drug poisoning. If the substance is unknown, or you suspect a non-opioid poisoning, that is not a reason to wait or to skip the emergency call. Use naloxone if available and indicated by the kit instructions, while continuing the response steps.
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This is the important distinction: naloxone can be useful when opioids are involved, but it is not an all-purpose treatment for poisoning. You do not need to decide which drug caused the emergency before taking the steps B.C. recommends. Call, support breathing, follow the instructions, and let emergency responders take over.
Calling 9-1-1 and fear of getting in trouble
B.C.’s Overdose Prevention and Response page states that the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act protects people who call 9-1-1 about overdoses. The provincial page’s statement is limited to that description of the law. It should not be read as a promise of immunity from every possible legal consequence; the detailed scope of the federal Act is not addressed here.
If fear is making you hesitate, the immediate instruction remains to call 9-1-1 when you witness a suspected overdose. The provincial page specifically points to the Act in connection with people who call about overdoses, but this article does not offer broader legal advice or make a guarantee about every circumstance.
Where to get naloxone and training in Vancouver
The Province’s Take Home Naloxone program says eligible people can receive a kit at no cost, along with overdose prevention and response training, at a program site. Its information directs people to a site locator or to call 8-1-1. HelpStartsHere, a Government of British Columbia resource, reported more than 2,300 free kit pickup locations across B.C. on a page updated February 27, 2026. Locations include community pharmacies, First Nations harm-reduction sites, hospitals and emergency departments, and correctional facilities. That is a province-wide count, not a Vancouver-only total, and a listing does not guarantee a kit is in stock at a particular site.
For Vancouver-area overdose prevention and response information and take-home naloxone sites, use Vancouver Coastal Health’s HelpStartsHere resources and the official provincial listings. Check the live locator for current addresses and hours before travelling, because service details can change. Some supervised sites have staff trained in emergency response and naloxone, and may offer additional services. These resources support prevention and on-site response; they do not replace calling 9-1-1 when someone is experiencing an emergency.
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For non-emergency health questions anywhere in B.C., the provincial naloxone information lists 8-1-1. This is a different pathway from the emergency response: do not direct a bystander to call 8-1-1 instead of 9-1-1 for a suspected active overdose.
Prepare before an emergency
- Find out where to obtain a take-home naloxone kit and training through the provincial program. Kits are available at no cost to eligible people through program sites. Keep the kit accessible and learn how to use the type of naloxone it contains.
- If your kit includes a breathing mask, become familiar with it before you need it. A CPR face shield mask may serve as a breathing barrier, but it is optional and should never delay calling 9-1-1 or helping someone in an emergency.
- When an emergency happens, use the supplies already available, follow the kit directions and dispatcher’s instructions, and stay with the person until responders arrive.
- Use the official locator to check a site’s current address and hours before making a trip. Provincial listings can change, and a location listing does not guarantee that a kit is in stock at that moment.
Preparedness is useful, but no purchase or search for supplies should come before the immediate response. In an active emergency, call 9-1-1 first, then act with the supplies already at hand.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Frequently Asked Questions
What do I do if someone is overdosing in Vancouver?
Call 9-1-1 immediately and tell the dispatcher the location and what you observe. Then follow B.C.’s SAVE-ME sequence: stimulate the person, check the airway and breathing, give a breath every five seconds if breathing is not normal, evaluate, give naloxone if available and indicated by the kit instructions, and keep evaluating and supporting breathing. Stay with the person until emergency services arrive.
Should I call 911 if I find someone who may have overdosed?
Yes. B.C.’s Overdose Prevention and Response guidance says to call 9-1-1 right away if you experience or witness an overdose, then follow SAVE-ME. Do not wait for every possible sign or for certainty about what the person took. Give the dispatcher the location and what you can see, and follow their instructions. 8-1-1 is listed for non-emergency health questions, not as a substitute for 9-1-1 during a suspected active overdose.
How do I use naloxone on someone who is unresponsive?
First call 9-1-1 and follow the response steps, including checking breathing and providing breaths if it is not normal. If naloxone is available and breathing is not normal, give one dose according to the instructions for that kit. Kits may contain nasal spray or injectable liquid, so use the directions for the specific kit rather than guessing. Check breathing again and continue breathing support. Naloxone does not replace emergency services or rescue breathing.
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How often can I give another naloxone dose?
B.C.’s public guidance says to check breathing after the first dose and, if it is still not normal, give another naloxone dose every three minutes while continuing breaths. Follow the kit instructions and dispatcher’s directions. The person still needs emergency help even if they improve: the provincial page says naloxone wears off after 30 to 120 minutes and the overdose can return.
Can naloxone help if I don’t know what drug they took?
Naloxone reverses opioid overdose, but it does not reverse every type of drug poisoning. If you do not know what the person took, do not delay the 9-1-1 call while trying to identify it. Use naloxone if available and indicated by the kit instructions, and continue the B.C. response steps and breathing support. Any suspected active drug poisoning warrants emergency response.
Where can I get a free naloxone kit in Vancouver?
The provincial Take Home Naloxone program says eligible people can get a kit at no cost, with overdose prevention and response training, at a program site. Use the provincial site locator or call 8-1-1 for program information. HelpStartsHere reported more than 2,300 free pickup locations across B.C. on a page updated February 27, 2026; that is a provincial figure, not a Vancouver-only count. Check the live locator for current details, and remember that a listing does not guarantee stock.
The Bottom Line
If you suspect a drug poisoning emergency in Vancouver, call 9-1-1 first. Follow B.C.’s SAVE-ME steps, support breathing, use naloxone if available and indicated, and stay with the person until emergency services arrive. If you are preparing ahead, use official provincial resources to find a free kit and training.
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