Jayme Saunders, Calgary, AB, February 2016 - Guest blog to MSTH.

I think this is something important to see for those who have not seen it yet. This is a naloxone kit, a kit that can help save a friend, a family member, even a stranger. I have seen dozens of facebook posts about "drug awareness" (you loose your family, your job, your kids because you're WILLING to give these things up) and I call bullshit. I call bullshit on every post out there saying addiction is a choice, that addiction is something you want, that addiction is someones fault. Not one child will ever say "I want to be a drug addict, I want to have my life controlled by substance"; they'll most likely want to be an astronaut, a police officer, a doctor or a rockstar. Not one will want their lives to involve addiction.

What may start out as a choice, or a fun game, quickly escalates into something lacking all choices; crippling judgement, controlling urges. Addicts, for the most part, lack the ability to make rational decisions, sometimes mentally and physically unable to seek the help that they need.

All of this being said lets take a look at the photo posted below. I picked this up for FREE! Yet, after going to my doctor and asking about it she had NO IDEA what I was talking about when I asked where to get a "naloxone kit". After googling it for Alberta added no assistance she wrote me a prescription. Well, it turns out you can pretty well pick them up from any drug store FOR FREE! In a province with so much fentanyl in it WHY THE HELL ISN'T THERE MORE OUT THERE ON THIS?!

What is naloxone? Essentially, it is a possible second chance for that friend, family member or stranger that otherwise would die of an overdose. It works as an OPIOID blocker, and ONLY an opioid blocker. This means that you can inject anyone you think may be overdosing from fentanyl and it wouldn't harm someone that wasn't. This means from the time it takes to wait for medical help you can do something. This means that even if you ARE NOT SURE but you THINK IT MIGHT BE THE CASE you can inject them and it WILL NOT HARM SOMEONE NOT OVERDOSING.

I am proud to carry one of these kits, everyday and everywhere. It's a little bigger then a pen lengthwise and fits in any one of my bags I carry. What's your excuse for not having one?

Don't be reactive. Be proactive.