Resources
RESOURCES
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Next Distro Narcan Training: WATCH
How to use Fentanyl Testing Strips: WATCH
Fentanyl Use and Overdose Prevention Tips: This fact sheet was produced by The DOPE Project.
Survival Strategies While Using Drugs Alone from People Who Use Drugs: This guide was created by Project SAFE, a Philadelphia-based mutual aid harm reduction collective for women, queer, and trans people who use drugs and do sex work.
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SSDP Just Say Know Peer Education Training Curriculum: READ
Access Naloxone through the mail: https://nextdistro.org/naloxone
Access syringes through the mail: https://nextdistro.org/getnext
Never Use Alone Hotline: 877-696-1996, Visit Website
North America Syringe Exchange Network: nasen.org
PCCD Statewide Naloxone Allocation Request Form: Provides naloxone to eligible organizations looking to enhance their community-based distribution efforts. Request Form
Prevention Point Philadelphia: ppponline.org
Angels in Motion (Philadelphia): Needle Exchange + Program Services
Prevention Point Pittsburgh: pppgh.org
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PAHRN - Xylazine Overview, Effects & Overdose Response, Wound Care: READ
PAHRN - Overdose Response Guide : READ
New York Dept of Health - “What Clinicians Need to Know” : READ
Prevention Point Pittsburgh - Xylazine and Overdose: READ
Prevention Point Pittsburgh - Xylazine Overview: READ
April 18 Press Release - READ
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Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Interactive Data Reports on Drug Overdoses: Visit Site
Opioid Data Dashboard: Visit Dashboard
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National HIV/AIDS Strategy: READ
Take Me Home: At home HIV tests, STI tests, and PrEP panel tests (where available) by mail, takemehome.org
Types of Hepatitis: READ
Hep C Community Navigation Toolkit: From NASTAD
Prep to Prevent HIV and Promote Sexual Health from cdn.hivguidelines.org: READ via Next Distro
Hepatitis C Basics for People Who Use Drugs (PWUD): Download Brochure
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Treatment Atlas: treatmentatlas.org
National 24/7 Treatment Hotline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357), Or Visit Website
Withdrawal Survival Guide: READ
National Treatment Locator: findtreatment.gov
PA Dept of Drug and Alcohol Programs Facilities Locator Find a Treatment Provider
SAMHSA Opioid Treatment Program Directory Find an OTP
SAMHSA Buprenorphine Practictioner Directory Find an MOUD provider
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SSDP Just Say Know Sex Work and Harm Reduction Module: READ
When Drug Use and Sex Work Overlap - Considerations for Advocacy and Practice: READ
Sex Workers who use drugs: Community Guide - Global Network of Sex Work Projects: READ
Global Network of Sex Work Projects resource page: READ
Decriminalization of Sex Work fact sheet: READ
Violence against sex workers and HIV prevention fact sheet: READ
Harm reduction advice column for specific situations involving people engaged in sex work who also use drugs: READ
St James Infirmary Sex Workers’ Resources - links to the major sex work organizations, other people in the network, and Health and Safety handbook: READ
NHRC - sex workers’ resources vetted by the National Harm Reduction Coalition: READ
Sex Workers’ Outreach Project (SWOP) - resources and info about joining/forming a chapter: READ
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SSDP Just Say Know Psychedelics: History, Policy, Health, and Society Module: READ
Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS): READ
Center for Psychedelic Education: READ
University of Pennsylvania - Psychedelic and Psychedelic Therapy Education: READ
Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research: READ
Psychedelic Harm Reduction & Peer Support Resources: READ
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SAMHSA family resources: READ
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SMART Recovery smartrecovery.org
Moderation Mananagement moderation.org
Harm Reduction for Alcohol (HAMS) hams.cc
Bluelight (international, online, harm-reduction community) bluelight.org
Recovery Dharma Online recoverydharma.online
Refuge Recovery refugerecovery.org
Alcoholics Anonymous aa.org
Narcotics Anonymous na.org
Harm Reduction Works (HRW) harmreduction.works
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Pennsylvania Mental Health Resource Guide: READ
Dial 988 - Direct Link for Suicide Prevention and Crisis Support: READ
PA Support and Referral Hotline: 1-855-284-2494 (TTY: 724-631-5600)
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or online chat
Crisis Text Line: Text PA to 741741
The Trevor Project Lifeline (LGBTQ): 1-866-488-7386. Text "Start" to 678-678 or online chat
Trans Helpline: 877-565-8860
Prevent Suicide PA Resources: READ
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Department of Human Services (DHS) Housing Quick Reference Guide - Housing search, public housing authorities, county assistance offices, disability resources: READ
Department of Housing and Urban Development - Housing choice vouchers and subsidized housing: READ
Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania: READ
211 Low Cost and Emergency Housing: READ
Pennsylvania Homeless Assistance Program: READ
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Medetomidine is a powerful veterinary sedative increasingly found in the unregulated drug supply, most often alongside fentanyl. Exposure can cause prolonged sedation, slowed heart rate, low blood pressure, and a severe withdrawal syndrome that may require emergency or intensive care.
Responding to a Suspected Overdose
Call 911.
Give naloxone because fentanyl or another opioid may also be present.
Provide rescue breathing if the person is not breathing normally.
Continue monitoring their breathing, even if they remain heavily sedated after naloxone.
Stay with the person until emergency help arrives.
Naloxone does not reverse medetomidine itself, but it can reverse the opioid component of an overdose and should always be administered when opioid exposure is suspected.
Information for Communities and People Who Use Drugs
Medetomidine Situation Summary
An accessible CDC overview of where medetomidine is appearing, the risks associated with exposure, severe withdrawal symptoms, and how communities should respond.
Read the CDC Situation Summary
PAHRN Medetomidine Fact Sheet
Practical information about medetomidine, signs of exposure, overdose response, withdrawal concerns, and ways to reduce risk.
Download the PAHRN Medetomidine Fact Sheet
Medetomidine Withdrawal Palm Card
A brief, portable resource that helps people recognize serious withdrawal symptoms and communicate possible medetomidine exposure to healthcare professionals.
Download the Medetomidine Withdrawal Palm Card
Prevention Point Community Presentation
Community-centered information about medetomidine, the changing drug supply, overdose response, and emerging health concerns.
View the Prevention Point PittsburghMedetomidine Presentation
Clinical and Healthcare Resources
CDC Health Advisory
National guidance for clinicians, public-health departments, laboratories, and communities regarding medetomidine exposure, overdose, testing, surveillance, and severe withdrawal.
Pennsylvania Department of Health Guidance
Updated statewide guidance on identifying and responding to medetomidine-related overdose and withdrawal.
View Pennsylvania Health Advisory No. 794
Philadelphia Outpatient Withdrawal Guidance
Emerging practices for safely managing medetomidine withdrawal following hospitalization, including follow-up, blood-pressure monitoring, medication management, and circumstances requiring inpatient care.
Read the Philadelphia Department of Public Health Guidance
Hospital Withdrawal Guidance
Clinical guidance addressing the recognition and hospital management of medetomidine withdrawal.
Download the Hospital Withdrawal Guideline
Penn Center for Addiction Medicine and Policy
Clinical information about medetomidine withdrawal, treatment considerations, and challenges associated with traditional opioid-withdrawal assessment.
Download the Penn Center Medetomidine Withdrawal Resource
American Society of Addiction Medicine Fact Sheet
A concise resource to help healthcare providers recognize and respond to medetomidine exposure and withdrawal syndrome.
Access the ASAM Medetomidine Resource
Medetomidine Clinical Training
Training materials from Dr. Michael Lynch of UPMC addressing clinical presentation, overdose complications, withdrawal, and healthcare response.
View the UPMC Medetomidine Training
DDAP Clinical Webinar
The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs’ training, Emerging Drug Trends: Medetomidine and Clinical Considerations for Treatment Providers, includes a recording and downloadable slides.
Watch the Recording or Download the Slides
Drug-Checking and Test-Strip Resources
PA Groundhogs Test-Strip Report
A technical report examining test-strip performance, interpretation, limitations, cross-reactivity, and the importance of laboratory confirmation.
Download the PA Groundhogs Test-Strip Report
Medetomidine in Counterfeit Xanax
A PA Groundhogs alert concerning high levels of medetomidine identified in a counterfeit Xanax sample associated with profound sedation.
Community Medetomidine Test-Strip Pilot
Advocacy and Public-Health Response
PAHRN Health Expert Advocacy Letter
More than 50 healthcare professionals, researchers, treatment providers, public-health practitioners, and community leaders called for Pennsylvania to pair any legislative response with meaningful investments in healthcare and overdose prevention.
Read the PAHRN Health Expert Advocacy Letter
PAHRN and PA Groundhogs Joint Statement
PAHRN and PA Groundhogs call for a comprehensive public-health response—including surveillance, drug checking, community alerts, clinician education, withdrawal protocols, and dedicated funding—rather than relying on criminal scheduling alone.
Important Notice
These resources are provided for education and harm reduction and are not a substitute for individualized medical care. Medetomidine withdrawal can become life-threatening. Seek emergency medical assistance for severe hypertension, chest pain, confusion, uncontrollable shaking, persistent vomiting, difficulty breathing, or rapidly worsening symptoms.
Drug Checking Is Legal in Pennsylvania
In 2022, Pennsylvania enacted Act 111, a major harm reduction policy change that removed qualifying drug-checking products from the state's definition of drug paraphernalia. The law specifically names fentanyl test strips while broadly protecting testing products used to identify chemicals, toxic substances, or hazardous compounds that may cause physical harm or death.
This change expanded the ability of individuals and organizations to possess and distribute life-saving drug-checking tools without those products being treated as illegal drug paraphernalia under Pennsylvania law.
