As opioid overdoses continue to devastate communities nationwide, about 30 people gathered at Chicago Ridge Public Library last month to learn how to use Narcan, a life-saving medication that can reverse overdoses in minutes.
Community health educator Sophia Ottomanelli led the training, arming attendees with tools and knowledge to help combat the growing crisis.
In 2023, more than 1,540 opioid overdose deaths were recorded in Cook County, 90% of which involved fentanyl.
Cook County has been hit especially hard by the opioid epidemic, recording more than 1,540 opioid overdose deaths in 2023, with fentanyl involved in 90% of those cases. In Chicago Ridge alone, ten people have died from overdoses since 2022, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office. By training residents to use Narcan, local officials hope to reduce the number of fatal overdoses in the area.
During the free presentation, Ottomanelli trained attendees on how to use Narcan, a nasal spray medication that can reverse an opioid overdose within minutes.
“Naloxone and Narcan training is incredibly important because this medication is extremely effective in reversing the effects of an overdose caused by opioids,” Ottomanelli said.
She emphasized that naloxone is safe to administer and will not harm someone who hasn’t taken opioids.
“By increasing the number of people trained, communities can significantly reduce the number of fatal overdoses,” Lori Lysik-Forney, Chicago Ridge library marketing coordinator.
Opioids, which include legal prescription medications like oxycodone (OxyContin) and the illegal drug fentanyl, are highly addictive and dangerous. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, has become the primary driver of overdose deaths in recent years.
“Overdose and addiction do not just affect one type of person or community,” Ottomanelli said. “Every person can play a vital role in ending the fatal opioid overdose crisis if they understand how to respond to an overdose and carry naloxone on their person.”
Opioids, derived from the opium poppy or synthesized in labs, act on receptors in the brain and spinal cord to block pain. While effective at relieving pain, opioids can lead to addiction, especially when used over a long period. Ottomanelli explained that patients often build tolerance to the drugs, requiring higher doses for the same relief, which can lead to dependence and overdose. “Opioids can make your brain and body believe the drug is necessary for survival,” she said.
Ottomanelli holds a graduate degree in public health from Loyola University in Chicago.
She stressed that training the public to use Narcan is an important public health initiative made legal by a state law that protects individuals who administer naloxone in good faith from civil or criminal liability.
In addition to discussing the mechanics of opioid addiction and overdose, Ottomanelli presented data on the crisis in Illinois, highlighting how fentanyl has become a leading cause of death. She also introduced attendees to emerging substances like xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer that is increasingly being mixed with opioids, complicating overdose responses. Narcan does not reverse the effects of xylazine, which is not an opioid.
At the conclusion of the event, attendees received free nasal naloxone, a generic form of Narcan, provided by the Cook County Department of Public Health, giving them the tools to act swiftly if they encounter an opioid overdose in their community.
“I truly enjoy my work,” Ottomanelli said. “If I can help at least one person, it is all worth it.”