“I was seeing too many teenagers having near death, or dying, from possibly the first use or generally use of drugs or alcohol,” he said.
Murphy disclosed no patient information in speaking to The Telegram, but did offer an example of a call. There was a call to a family home, he said, where a teenager had welcomed friends over and started binging on his parents’ alcohol. It all ended with paramedics fighting to keep the young host breathing on the way to hospital.
He said young people in particular sometimes try an illegal drug thinking they know what they are signing up for, only to find out too late the drug they have used is laced with something unexpected.
In other cases, people take medications prescribed to family members, or family members of friends. Medications are prescribed based on a detailed medical history and a specific need, with clear communication of risks.
“They’re also customized to that patient,” Murphy said. “Like an elderly person that has a lifetime of taking these medications basically build up a tolerance … and maybe a teenager who decides he’s going to take grandma’s medication for a high, where he’s twice the size of grandma, will take two or three, when (just) one would have been enough to overdose him.”
There is the risk of allergic reactions, or of drug interactions, apart from dosages.
He said an illegal drug could also be put into someone’s system without their knowledge. In that and all cases, he said, it might fall to friends and family to respond.
With binge drinking and drug-related calls, Murphy believed there was space for a simple, related informational program. Over the course of about a year and a half, he developed “Protect your pal” — essentially a one-hour talk, including a short video, promoting the avoidance of binge drinking and an anti-drug stance. But the program also aims to provide potentially life-saving tips for high-risk situations.
Asked about identifying when help is needed, he suggested one example would be in noticing slowed breathing and cyanosis — a blue colouring around the lips and nails — due to a lack of oxygen.
He said his main lesson in all cases is a rapid response, in the call to 911.
“They need to know that they can’t be afraid to call 911 to help. You’re not going to get in trouble saving somebody’s life in that regard,” he said.
He instructs on how to place someone in the recovery position, to avoid having someone choke on vomit, if they are passed out and you’re awaiting help.
“Protect your pal” is not about problem teenagers, or teenagers being a problem, he said. It’s about real-life situations.
“And if you go home and mom or dad, or grandmother or grandfather, has a lot of pain one day and maybe forgot they took their medication, (you) can recognize (it).”
Murphy, who was asked by The Telegram for an interview, said his talk is not in any way a replacement for the existing drug and addictions education programs. He sees it as a practical addition to what is already being provided.
He started offering “Protect your pal” in the fall of 2016 and has so far presented to multiple classes at Waterford Valley High School and on Bell Island, at St. Michael’s Regional High School. He said he wants to do more and hopes to someday see “Protect your pal” on offer across the province.
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Sean Murphy said anyone interested in hearing more about ‘Protect your pal’ can reach him at [email protected].
