If someone is overdosing right now

Call 911. Then stay with them.

In most US states, calling for help during an overdose gives you legal protection from certain drug possession charges. Fear of arrest is the most common reason people do not call. Call anyway — and stay, because the protection generally depends on you staying.

What to do while you wait →

Crisis and support lines

These are free, confidential, and available to anyone — including family members and people who are not in treatment.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text. 24/7, free, confidential. Covers substance use crisis, not only suicide. Press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line. 1-800-662-4357 SAMHSA National Helpline Treatment referral and information, 24/7, free and confidential. English and Spanish. They will not ask for insurance to talk to you. Text HOME to 741741 Crisis Text Line If you cannot speak out loud, or someone is listening. 24/7. 1-800-484-8729 Never Use Alone verify locally A volunteer stays on the line while you use and calls emergency services if you stop responding. Using alone is the single largest risk factor in a fatal overdose. Confirm this number is current before relying on it.

A note on this list. We publish only numbers we can stand behind, and we mark the ones we have not independently confirmed. A hotline number that rings out is worse than no number, because someone spends the minutes they had on it.

Outside the United States

This build publishes US numbers only, and its legal information covers US states. If you are elsewhere, call your local emergency number. We would rather say that plainly than show you a number we have not checked.

Naloxone

Naloxone (Narcan) reverses an opioid overdose. In most US states you can get it from a pharmacy without an individual prescription, and many health departments and harm reduction programs give it away free. If you or someone near you uses opioids, having it within reach is the single most useful preparation you can make.

How to use naloxone →