Health & Human services

Youth Opioid Awareness Campaign	HIV Syndemic  Policy Program	Harm Reduction  Distribution Program
Education/Trainings	Community and Provider Resources	Data Reports

• HIV/STIs Prevention
• Hepatitis C
• HIV Medical Care and Testing
• Family Planning

Contact Information:

For more information, contact the Harm Reduction Program at:
harmreduction@longbeach.gov

Ismael Salamanca - HIV/STI and Harm Reduction Syndemic Strategy Supervisor
ismael.salamanca@longbeach.gov  

To request the Harm Reduction to table at your event, please complete our Outreach Tabling Form.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What are Opioids?

  A class of drugs that are commonly known as pain relievers/narcotics. They interact with the brain and body to decrease pain. Other effects, including euphoria (happiness) and relaxation, make opioids highly addictive. The most common opioids are those that are prescribed by health care providers for pain. Illegal opioids include Heroin and street Fentanyl. Opioids prescribed by a health care provider are primarily used for short durations. Long term use or misuse of these drugs can lead to addiction and sometimes overdose and death. 
  
  

  List of Common Opioids 

  • Percocet (Oxycodone and Acetaminophen) 
  • Vicodin (Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen) 
  • Norco (Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen) 
  • Morphine 
  • Fentanyl 
  • Heroin 
  • Codeine 
  • Dilaudid (Hydromorphone) 
  • Methadone 
  • Buprenorphine  

• What is the Opioid epidemic?

  The opioid epidemic has plagued the country for many decades. There have been three/four distinct waves of the opioid epidemic.   

  The first wave began with increased prescribing of opioids in the 1990s, with overdose deaths involving prescription opioids (natural and semi-synthetic opioids and methadone) increasing since at least 1999. 

  The second wave began in 2010, with rapid increases in overdose deaths involving heroin. 

  The third wave began in 2013, with significant increases in overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids, particularly those involving illicitly manufactured fentanyl without stimulants. The Fourth Wave began in 2015, with significant increases in overdose rates involving illicitly manufactured fentanyl and stimulants including methamphetamines and cocaine.  

  The market for illicitly manufactured fentanyl continues to change, and it can be found in combination with heroin, counterfeit pills, and cocaine. 
  
  Understanding the Opioid Overdose Epidemic | Opioids | CDC 

• What is Fentanyl?

  Fentanyl is a potent, synthetic opioid that is 50-100 times more potent than Morphine. Normally, used for severe pain and medical procedures, it has caused a significant increase in overdose deaths due to illicitly manufactured fentanyl. This form of Fentanyl has contaminated various illicit drugs like heroin, methamphetamine, ecstasy, and cocaine, as well as counterfeit pills.  

• What is Xylazine?

  More recently, a new drug has been on the rise in the country: Xylazine. It is also known as “Tranq”, “Tranq dope”, or“Zombie drug”. It has had a major impact in the Northeast. Xylazine is a sedative drug, not an opioid, used by veterinarians during medical procedures on animals. It has becomeincreasingly present in the illicit drug supply. It is not safe for human use and can cause an overdose like Fentanyl, although, there is no reversal medication like Narcan. Xylazine can cause serious and life-threatening skin wounds. Xylazine was found in the drug supply in LA County in April 2023. 

• What are the signs of misuse/overuse of opioids?

  Taking opioids when not prescribed or as directed can have significant negative outcomes on your overall health and well-being. Opioids are highly addictive and people may exhibit certain signs when they are misusing them: 

  • Regularly taking an opioid in a way not intended by the doctor who prescribed it, including taking more than the prescribed dose or taking the drug for the way it makes a person feel 
  • Taking opioids "just in case," even when not in pain 
  • Mood changes 
  • Changes in sleep patterns 
  • Borrowing medication from other people or "losing" medications so that more prescriptions must be written 
  • “Drug Seeking”- seeking the same prescription from multiple doctors to have a "backup" supply
  • Poor decision-making, including putting themselves and others in danger 

• What do you do if you are taking prescription opioids or were prescribed opioids by your health care provider?

  Have a discussion with your provider about the medications and if they are the best choice for you. There are other options to treat pain, including non-opioid medications and alternative therapies that do not include medications. Below is a list of questions to ask them: 

  • Why do I need this medication - is it right for me? 
  • How long should I take this medication? 
  • Are there non-opioid alternatives that could help with pain relief while I recover? 
  • How can I reduce the risk of potential side effects from this medication? 
  • What if I have a history of addiction with tobacco, alcohol or drugs? 
  • What if there is a history of addiction in my family? 
  • Could this treatment interact with my other medications? 
  • Can I share this medication with someone else? Why not? 
  • How should I store my opioid medication to prevent other people from taking it? 
  • What should I do with unused opioid medicine? 
  • Can I have a prescription for naloxone?