LA County Is Partnering With Consulates To Hand Out Narcan And Raise Opioid Awareness Among Latinos

There is no shortage of news accounts and data about the devastating effect of the opioid epidemic in California and across the nation. But there’s an overlooked demographic where the epidemic could be rapidly increasing — Latino immigrants.

Consider this: The rate of fentanyl deaths among Latinos in L.A. County jumped by 721% in just seven years, according to the county Department of Public Health. In 2016, 25 Latinos died of fentanyl overdoses. Deaths jumped to more than 550 in 2021. But we don’t know how many of those people were immigrants. Country of origin isn’t required in overdose reported data, so the true impact of the opioid epidemic on immigrant Latinos in L.A. remains nebulous.

While Mexico doesn’t have an opioid use epidemic like the U.S., overdoses in that country are increasing — particularly in border communities — and there’s a growing need for Narcan, the nasal spray that reverses opioid overdoses.

A unique program run by the Department of Public Health is working to raise awareness of the risks.

Martha Hernandez, a county community health worker, circulates among consulates for Spanish-speaking nations and gives short, sharp demonstrations tailored to her audience, instructing them on how to effectively use Narcan.

“I go to five Latin consulates,” Hernandez said on a recent visit to the Mexican consulate near MacArthur Park. “I use myself as an example. A lot of us go to our hometown, Tijuana is the closest one, and we go and get medication, especially pain killers. [I tell them] ‘a lot of them have fentanyl in the medications’ and you’ll see their wide open eyes, like ‘woah, that is true.’”

Narcan is highly restricted in Mexico, so immigrants are unlikely to know much about it. In contrast, Narcan hits pharmacy shelves this month across the U.S. without a prescription. The ongoing surge, as well as FDA approval of Narcan's over-the-counter use, made consulates a priority for the training.

People wait in the lobby for services at the Mexican Consulate.

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Noé Montes

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One common misconception Hernandez runs into surrounds Narcan’s packaging, which says nasal spray in large letters on the box.

“People do mistake the fact that it’s nasal [spray], they think it’s for allergies,” she said “That’s where you see the necessity of educating our community because a lot of people will say ‘oh I need it, I have allergies.”

A captive audience

The Mexican consulate in L.A. feels like a DMV, with hard plastic chairs in rows. On a recent morning, about 30 people were waiting for their new Mexican passports or ID cards.

This is the captive audience Hernandez takes advantage of, walking in front of the assembled people, holding brightly colored public health brochures above her head.

“Simple words, colorful brochures, nice and easy. The way you approach them is the key to getting your message across,” she said.

Martha Hernandez, community health worker for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, presents information about various resident and community services available to the public.

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Noé Montes

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Today, she tells the impromptu audience, they’ll learn how to save someone from dying of an opioid overdose.

She tells them Narcan is not a substitute for medical care, but it can quickly prevent an overdose from becoming fatal. And it's easy to use — so easy that the training can take as little as 10 minutes.

It's not always clear if someone is experiencing an overdose, but Hernandez tells the group that they should still call 911 and administer Narcan.

“I tell them, if I saw my mom on the floor I would administer Narcan,” Hernandez said. “Why? Because my mom will go to her sister’s house and say ‘my neck or my knee hurts’ and her sister will pop out a pain medicine [that she has.] A lot of us, being Latinos, will pop it into our mouth. How do I know what she put in her mouth?”

Instructions and one dose of Narcan for the prevention of opioid overdose.

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Noé Montes

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Fake prescription pills are partially fueling the country’s opioid crisis, especially in western states. The share of overdose deaths involving counterfeit pills more than doubled between 2019 and 2021, and the percentage more than tripled in western states, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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LA County Department of Public Health

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The report found those who died from overdoses with evidence of counterfeit pill use, compared to those without it, were more often younger, Hispanic or Latino and had misused prescription drugs in the past.

Fake pills are sold online and over social media according to the Drug Enforcement Administration, which last year said more than 60% of the fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills it tested contained a potentially lethal amount of the opioid.

The CDC estimates that more than 105,000 people fatally overdosed in 2022.

CPR training and free Narcan

In her demonstrations, Hernandez uses a CPR mannequin to show how to keep an unresponsive person breathing after spraying their nostrils with Narcan until an ambulance arrives.

Jose Magaña Lozano participated in a Narcan demo and volunteered to take a sample with him in case of overdose emergencies in his community.

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Noé Montes

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“We can see or hear the ribs fracturing or possibly even the breastbone,” she tells the audience, rapidly pumping the dummy’s ribcage. “But remember, it's better for your loved one to have fractured ribs and a living heart."

Jose Magaña Lozano watches intently a couple rows back. He volunteers to try CPR on the mannequin and is one of the 20 people who take a free box of Narcan after the presentation is over. At 67, Magaña Lozano works in cement construction in L.A. and has lived in the U.S. for 30 years.

“I’ve only seen opioid overdoses on TV,” he said. “Hopefully I never have to witness an overdose happen, but if in case I do see it happen, at least you know what to do, and at the very least you can help a little.”

Martha Hernandez passes out Narcan to residents who have volunteered to take it home with them.

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Noé Montes

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But for younger generations who went to high school in the U.S. in the midst of the raging opioid epidemic, it’s all too familiar.

“I’ve actually learned it [Narcan] in high school because you’d be surprised, lots of people were doing drugs and overdosing,” said Luis Armas Ramirez.

He did learn about CPR and more details of how to keep someone alive from Hernandez’s presentation. But he was more impressed with her direct and accessible approach.

“Latinos, we don’t really take it seriously like that, especially because it’s something very private,” he said.

Luis Armas Ramirez participated in a Narcan demo and volunteered to take a sample with him in case of overdose emergencies in his community.

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Noé Montes

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for LAist

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Armas was excited to receive a free box of Narcan while waiting for his travel documents.

“[Narcan] is like, crazy expensive. I believe that things happen for a reason, so if I’m seeing it [Narcan] now, God’s timing is never wrong, I may see an overdose next week, you never know,” he said.

Hernandez gave out 45 boxes of Narcan after three demonstrations at the Mexican consulate. The following day, she went to the Guatemalan consulate to teach more immigrants about the new reality of living in the United States.