Kym Porter has been carrying a naloxone kit in her purse since her son died of an overdose more than six years ago.

Porter, a retired school teacher in Medicine Hat, Alta., was trained to use both the syringe and nasal versions of the overdose reversal drug, but never ran into an emergency situation until May.

害羞草研究所淚 saw this fellow lying under a tree and he wasn害羞草研究所檛 moving,害羞草研究所� Porter said.

She approached the man, looked for any drug paraphernalia, called out to him and shook his shoulders. No response.

Porter dialed first responders and reached for her naloxone kit.

害羞草研究所淏ut for some reason, I don害羞草研究所檛 know why, I hesitated,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚 didn害羞草研究所檛 administer it.害羞草研究所�

Emergency crews arrived and brought back the manwho confirmed to her that he had overdosed.

Naloxone kits are easily available, over-the-counter antidotes that block the effects of opioids such as fentanyl, heroin, morphine or cocaine.

More people are carrying naloxone kits with them on the streets as drug poisoning-related fatalities break records every passing year in Canada.

In Alberta, the latest numbers show April was the deadliest month, with 179 deaths from opioid overdoses.

Caitlin Shane, a drugs policy lawyer with Pivot Legal Society in Vancouver, said she sees people in the community, as well as health professionals on and off the job helping others who may have overdosed on opioids.

害羞草研究所淥ftentimes, it害羞草研究所檚 people who just happen to be walking by (and) have naloxone attached to their bag or backpack,害羞草研究所� she said.

Shane said it is crucial to know the signs of an overdose to ascertain when to administer naloxone.

害羞草研究所淭hat way, you can feel more comfortable doing it.害羞草研究所�

The signs could be shallow breathing, blue or grey lips or nails, small pupils, the inability to wake up despite calling out or shaking the person, and choking or snoring sounds.

害羞草研究所淚f you believe someone is overdosing and you害羞草研究所檙e not sure if it害羞草研究所檚 an opioid or stimulant overdose, Health Canada recommends administration (of naloxone),害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淭he outcome will most likely be better than not administering it.害羞草研究所�

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says injecting naloxone into a person who may be unconscious for other reasons such as diabetic coma or cardiac arrest would not cause them additional harm.

Shane said the Emergency Medical Aid Act protects people who administer naloxone outside of a health or medical setting, or when the person is not being compensated for their help.

害羞草研究所淚f you害羞草研究所檙e walking down the sidewalk and you see someone has overdosed and you administer naloxone, and in doing that, you injure the person or cause their death, you will not be legally liable,害羞草研究所� she explained.

The only exception is if the injury or death is caused by 害羞草研究所済ross negligence,害羞草研究所� Shane added.

Candice Chaffey, a nurse at a Toronto-area hospital, was on her way to pick up a takeout pizza when her eyes caught a man lying unconscious on the pavement.

The man was surrounded by bystanders in Brampton, Ont., as they waited for paramedics to arrive.

Chaffey approached the man and began with sternal rubs on the chest to wake him up. She knew it was an overdose.

害羞草研究所淚 ran home and got back with my naloxone kit within 30 seconds,害羞草研究所� Chaffey recalled of the evening last summer.

She opened the kit, pulled out the ampoule, pulled it through the syringe and injected naloxone into the man.

害羞草研究所淗e immediately started to get up and said, 害羞草研究所榃hy did you poke me?害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 she recalled.

The man passed out again so Chaffey repeated the steps with a second dose and helped him get up. But the man wasn害羞草研究所檛 happy with the intrusion.

Chaffey said things could get violent. It didn害羞草研究所檛 in this case.

害羞草研究所淭hat is a risk you take,害羞草研究所� she said.

She warned that people shouldn害羞草研究所檛 put themselves at risk if they are not comfortable approaching a person who is potentially overdosing.

害羞草研究所淭he best thing to do is just wait for a paramedic to arrive,害羞草研究所� Chaffey said.

For Porter, the hesitation wasn害羞草研究所檛 coming from safety or legal concerns. Instead, she felt she was 害羞草研究所渙verdramatizing害羞草研究所� the situation when she came across an unconscious man.

害羞草研究所淚 questioned myself,害羞草研究所� Porter said. 害羞草研究所淎m I just wanting to do this because I know how to do this? Am I making too big of a deal about this?害羞草研究所�

Looking back at the day, Porter said she wouldn害羞草研究所檛 hesitate to administer naloxone if it happens again.

She recalled her 31-year-old son害羞草研究所檚 last interaction with a neighbour before he died of drug poisoning.

害羞草研究所淭he woman upstairs came down. (My son害羞草研究所檚) door was open. She saw him lying on the floor, snoring and didn害羞草研究所檛 realize he was dying,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淪he kindly covered him with a blanket, thinking he was asleep.害羞草研究所�

Porter said if the neighbour knew the signs, her son could have lived.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 not an expert, I害羞草研究所檓 not a nurse, I害羞草研究所檓 not wise enough to know how sick a person is,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淏ut naloxone is a life-saving tool.害羞草研究所�

Ritika Dubey, The Canadian Press