If you or someone you know is experiencing an overdose emergency, call 911 immediately.

Opioids are part of many lives. Know the facts to protects yours.

Prescription painkillers, heroin, and fentanyl all belong to the same drug family. Most people who misuse opioids started with a prescription, often one from their own medicine cabinet. Understanding how opioids work is the first step to keeping yourself and the people you love safe.

Call 540-885-0866 (24/7 Crisis)
See Local Resources

Safe storage of over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medication is one of the first steps in preventing stimulant addiction and misuse.

Prescription stimulants can include ADHD and depression medications.

The Center for Disease Control recommends storing medicines up, away, and out of sight.

Learn More


It is important to safely and securely lock away medications. Watch the lock box demo from Lock and Talk.

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What are opioids?

Opioids are a family of drugs that act on the brain to relieve pain. Some are made from the opium poppy, like morphine and codeine. Others are made in labs, like oxycodone and fentanyl. Prescribed and taken as directed, opioids are safe and effective tools for managing pain after surgery, injury, or serious illness.

The same qualities that make opioids good at relieving pain also make them habit-forming. Over time, the body adapts and needs more of the drug to feel the same effect. That process is called tolerance, and it can happen to anyone, at any age, with any opioid.
PRESCRIBED OPIOIDS
Manufactured under FDA oversight and dispensed by pharmacies. Include oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet), hydrocodone (Vicodin), morphine, and codeine. Safe and effective when taken exactly as prescribed, for the shortest time needed, and never shared.
ILLICIT OPIOIDS
Include heroin and illicitly made fentanyl. Produced with no quality control and no way to know the dose or contents. Today, most illicit opioids sold in Virginia contain fentanyl, whether the buyer knows it or not.

How this is affecting our community.

Virginia is turning a corner on opioid overdoses, and that progress comes from people like you. Neighbors carrying naloxone. Families locking up medications. Friends having honest conversations. Here's what that work has accomplished, and how to keep it going.
Nearly 50%
Opioid overdose deaths in Virginia fell from 2,058 in 2023 to 1,066 in 2024, one of the largest drops in the nation. (Virginia Department of Health).
59.7%
of fatal Virginia meth overdoses in 2024 also involved fentanyl. Most people didn't know it was there.
70%
of drug-related deaths in Virginia were preventable. (CDC/VDH)
If you live in this region, you may know someone affected.

Everything below is something you can do about it, starting today.
More lives saved
In 2023, harm reduction programs across Virginia reversed 2,235 overdoses,
more than the total number of fatal overdoses that year. Naloxone works, and people are using it. (VCU Center on Society and Health / VDH)

CLOSE TO HOME

Opioid misuse can start in the medicine cabinet, not on the street.

Most people who misuse prescription opioids get them from a family member or friend, often without that person knowing. Leftover pills from an old surgery or dental procedure sit in cabinets for years, within reach of teens, visitors, and anyone struggling.It’s cheap to produce, easy to add, and impossible to see. Fentanyl has been found in cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, ketamine, and counterfeit prescription pills sold as Adderall, Xanax, Vicodin, OxyContin, and Percocet.

The most powerful prevention tool in our region is already in your home.

KNOW THE PATH

Dependence can develop faster than most people expect.

Opioid dependence is a medical condition, not a moral failing. It can begin with a legitimate prescription and develop gradually, sometimes within weeks of regular use. Signs include needing more medication for the same relief, running out early, or feeling unwell between doses.If any of that sounds familiar for you or someone you love, help is available right here in our community, and recovery is common. Millions of Americans are living in recovery today.
Man looking up
Woman with arms raised in air
If a friend offers you a pill at a party, that pill may not be what they think it is.

SAFER PRESCRIPTION USE

Four habits that protect your whole household.
HABIT 1
Take as prescribed
Follow the dose and schedule exactly. Never take opioids with alcohol or sedatives like Xanax or Valium unless your doctor approves. Combining them slows breathing.
HABIT 2
Ask about alternatives
For many kinds of pain, non-opioid options work as well or better. Ask your doctor or dentist what's right for you, and request the smallest quantity needed.
HABIT 3
Lock them up
Store opioids up, away, and out of sight in a locked pouch or box. Count your pills so you know if any go missing.
HABIT 4
Dispose of leftovers
Use a medication drop box or a Deterra deactivation kit. Both are free in our region.
STEPS
STEPS DURING A SUSPECTED OVERDOSE
1. Check for signs
Slow or stopped breathing, unresponsive, blue or grey lips, gurgling.
2. Call 911
Stay on the line. Virginia's Good Samaritan Law protects you.
3. Give naloxone
Hold the spray with your thumb on the plunger. Insert the nozzle into either nostril. Press the plunger firmly. One device equals one dose.
4. Support breathing
Lay the person on their side (recovery position). If trained, give rescue breaths.
5. Stay until help arrives
If they don't respond in 2 to 3 minutes, give a second dose. Even after they wake up, keep watching because some opioids outlast naloxone.
Watch for any of these
SIGNS OF AN OVERDOSE CHECKLIST
  • Slow, shallow, or stopped breathing
  • Limp body, unresponsive to voice or sternum rub
  • Pale, blue, or grey skin
    • Especially lips and fingertips
  • Choking, gurgling, or snoring sounds (not normal sleep)
  • Pinpoint pupils
The More You Know
VIRGINIA GOOD SAMARITAN NOTE
Virginia's Good Samaritan Law (Va. Code 18.2-251.03) protects you from being charged for simple drug possession when you call 911 to report an overdose in good faith. Calling for help is the right thing to do, and the law backs you up.

You can save a life. Here's how.

Naloxone (brand name Narcan) is a nasal spray that can reverse an opioid overdose in minutes. It's sold over the counter with no prescription needed, and in our region you can get it free through REVIVE! training and many local pharmacies.
5-STEP RESPONSE CARD
If someone may be overdosing:
  1. Check for signs. Slow or stopped breathing, unresponsive, blue or grey lips, gurgling.
  2. Call 911. Stay on the line. Virginia’s Good Samaritan Law protects you.
  3. Give naloxone. Hold the spray with your thumb on the plunger. Insert the nozzle into either nostril. Press the plunger firmly. One device = one dose.
  4. Support breathing. Lay the person on their side (recovery position). If trained, give rescue breaths.
  5. Stay until help arrives. If they don’t respond in 2–3 minutes, give a second dose. Even after they wake up, keep watching because fentanyl can outlast naloxone.
SIGNS OF AN OVERDOSE CHECKLIST
Watch for any of these:
  • Slow, shallow, or stopped breathing
  • Limp body, unresponsive to voice or sternum rub
  • Pale, blue, or grey skin
    • Especially lips and fingertips
  • Choking, gurgling, or snoring sounds (not normal sleep)
  • Pinpoint pupils
VIRGINIA GOOD SAMARITAN NOTE

Virginia’s Good Samaritan Law (Va. Code § 18.2-251.03) protects you from being charged for simple drug possession when you call 911 to report an overdose in good faith. Calling for help is the right thing to do, and the law backs you up.
FREE NARCAN IN OUR REGION
How to get free Narcan locally:
  • Valley Community Services Board
    • Call 540-887-3200 to request kits and training.
  • REVIVE! training
    • Free 1-hour course
    • Participants leave with a Narcan kit.
    • Register at the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services site.
  • Local pharmacies
    • Most CVS, Walgreens, and independent pharmacies in Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County stock Narcan over the counter.
    • Many will dispense it free under Virginia’s standing order if you ask.

Lock it. Drop it.

Most people who misuse prescription medication get it from a family member or friend, not a stranger. That means the biggest step you can take is already in your home, and it takes less than five minutes.
Lock It.
Store all prescription medications (stimulants, opioids, anti-anxiety) up, away, and out of sight. The CDC recommends a locked container or medication safe for any home with teens or visitors.

Valley Community Services Board, in partnership with Lock and Talk Virginia, distributes free medication lock pouches and lock boxes to residents of Staunton, Waynesboro, Augusta, and Highland counties.

Request a free pouch:  beginwithhope.org  |  540-887-3200
Drop It.
Don’t keep medications you no longer need. Drop them in a regional medication drop box often located at police stations and pharmacies. Drop boxes are anonymous, and accept all unused or expired prescription and over-the-counter medications.


‍Drop boxes do not accept syringes, sharps, illegal drugs, or biohazard materials.

Find a drop box near you (interactive map below).

Store locator is loading from StoreRocket Store Locator App..

Opioid FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions
Are prescription opioids safe if my doctor prescribed them?
Yes, when taken exactly as directed for the time prescribed. The risks rise when opioids are taken longer than needed, in higher doses, combined with alcohol or sedatives, or shared with someone else. If you have concerns about a prescription, ask your doctor or pharmacist. They want you to ask.
Read More>
How do I know if someone I love is struggling with opioids?
Look for changes rather than a single sign: withdrawing from family and activities, running out of medication early, visiting multiple doctors, mood swings, or unexplained drowsiness. Approach with care, not accusation. SAMHSA recommends multiple short conversations, not one big one.
Read More>
I've been prescribed opioids after surgery. What should I ask my doctor?
Ask three questions: Is there a non-opioid option that would work? What is the smallest amount I need? How should I dispose of leftovers? Taking opioids for the shortest effective time is the best protection against dependence.
Read More>
Is naloxone safe to give if I’m not sure it’s an opioid overdose?
Yes. Naloxone only acts on opioid receptors. If the person is overdosing on something else, it won’t hurt them. If they are, it can save their life. When in doubt, give it.
What should I do with pills left over from an old prescription?
Drop them at a medication drop box (see map above) or use a free Deterra deactivation kit, which lets you safely dispose of medications at home in the trash. Request one through beginwithhope.org.
Need additional help?
Contact Valley Community Services Board
Back to: Fentanyl Awareness
ABOUT VCSB

Valley Community Services Board
85 Sanger’s Ln. Staunton, VA 24401

Main Phone Line:
540-887-3200
Emergency Services:
540-885-0866

myvalleycsb.orgFind Your Local CSB

Revive Training

NATIONAL
DrugFree.orgMethProject.orgNIDASAMHSA.gov
HOTLINES

SAMHSA’s National Helpline
A free, confidential, 24/7 treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
1-800-662-HELP (4357)

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Dial or text 988 to reach the Crisis Lifeline.

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