Tag: overdose

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Saskatoon and Regina hold events advocating for more harm reduction supports | Globalnews.ca

Saskatoon and Regina hold events advocating for more harm reduction supports | Globalnews.ca

The number of overdose deaths in Saskatchewan has more than tripled over the past six years.

That’s according to the Saskatchewan Coroner’s Service, who said 366 deaths were reported in 2021, compared to 92 in 2016.

Wednesday is International Overdose Awareness Day, and people gathered at the Saskatoon Indian and Metis Friendship Centre to get the point across that this was a growing issue, and supports are needed.

Jocelyn Trotchie works with the Elizabeth Fry Society of Saskatchewan, and said the province needs to know.

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“We need to keep reminding the government, the health officials, that this is a crisis right now,” said Trotchie.

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Jade Creelman is the harm reduction coordinator at Choke Cherry Studios, and said these deaths could be stopped.

“It’s all preventable, and I think that’s what upsets me most. If funding were going into harm reduction, and if there were a safe supply these deaths would not be happening,” said Creelman.

The province said they’ve invested $470 million into mental health and addictions services for  2022-23, but organizations like Prairie Harm Reduction have said they’ve been denied provincial funding for the third year in a row, have had to work limited hours, and had to fight to keep the lights on.

Elizabeth Plishka is the director of support services for Prairie Harm Reduction, and echoed the sentiment that more help was needed.

“More funding. More support for people who are transient, who do use substances,” said Plishka.

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She listed things like housing supports, support for safe consumption sites, more wrap-around services, and more help for healthcare as things that needed to be focused on.

Daniel Hern was an addict for 23 years, but got clean five and a half years ago. He started a podcast called Hard Knox Talks to advocate for change and to give a voice from the perspective of someone who has used drugs.

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Hern said we needed to do more than just talk to the government about this crisis.

“Education. More advocacy. We live in a democracy, don’t we? So, instead of just advocating the government, I think the voice towards the general public needs to be amplified so that we can bring education to people who think differently than we do,” said Hern.

An event also took place at the mâmawêyatitân centre in Regina, and event organizer Ronnie Nordal said education was made available for anyone who wanted it.


Event held in Regina for International Overdose Awareness Day.

Global News/ Derek Putz

“We can each take naloxone training, carry naloxone kits. Training is available today, naloxone kits are here for the taking. Each one of us has the ability to save a life,” said Nordal.

Medavie Health Services West noted at the beginning of August that over the past two years, they’ve seen an increased potency in illicit drugs, and have had to increase the amount of Narcan given to patients while they were being transported to the hospital.

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Carissa Issac’s mother died from an overdose back in 2020, and she said events like the ones held in Regina and Saskatoon are important.

“My mom had written in her diary, ‘I just want my daughters to be proud of me again,’ and she never got that opportunity to get better because it took her. Events like this I feel are very important because it allows for reality to kind of be seen,” said Isaac.

— with files from Montana Getty

© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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Coffin walk, candlelight vigil honour overdose victims in Vancouver

Coffin walk, candlelight vigil honour overdose victims in Vancouver


Families who have lost loved ones to toxic drugs gathered in downtown Vancouver Friday night to draw attention to the overdose crisis plaguing the province.


Moms Stop the Harm hosted a coffin walk, where people carried coffins symbolizing how many people died in each year since the overdose crisis was declared a public health emergency in 2016, shining a spotlight on the number of deaths, which is soaring.


“When my son dies, and more people are dying every day, something needs to change: attitudes need to change and we need a safe supply,” said Matthew Witt, who marched in honour of his 20-year-old son Sebastian.


Sebastian died from fentanyl poisoning in 2015. He was alone in his bedroom when he died.


Witt believes the stigma prevented his son from asking for help.


“He relapsed the first time. He was OK, but he was, I suppose, humiliated, in a way, that he relapsed, and so he hid,” Witt explained.


Earlier this month, the province released the latest statistics on illicit drug toxicity deaths, showing data for the first six months of the year.


B.C. reached a grim milestone, as more than 10,000 people have died since the health emergency as declared six years ago.


“We have to wrap our minds around the fact that the drugs are toxic, and they will continue to kill. So we need to ask the question: What do we do about the deaths? Not what do we do about addiction?” said Deb Bailey, of the Vancouver chapter of Moms Stop the Harm.


Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe said on Aug. 16 that safe supply has been slow to roll out due to the reluctance of some clinicians to prescribe drugs, for a “variety of reasons.”


Bailey said it is time to move faster as the number of causalities continue to climb.


“We really need to iron that out: Who can distribute safe supply? Where do people get it?” she said. “We’re just looking for a regulated, safe, clean supply for people – that’s all. We’re not looking to legalize it or anything. We just need to stop the deaths.”


The group will be hosting more events leading up to International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31. 

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Overdose awareness events planned for qathet region

Overdose awareness events planned for qathet region

In conjunction with International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31, three events are scheduled for qathet region.

According to a media release from qathet Community Action Team (CAT), local communities are joining others around the world to remember those who have died or suffered permanent injury due to drug overdose.

Observed on August 31 every year, participants seek to create better understanding of overdose, reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths, and create change that reduces harms associated with drug use. Community members are invited to the following events: noon to 2 pm, a lunch made with love at the Community Resource Centre; 3 to 6 pm, grand opening of ?aȷǐmɛt Harm Reduction Circle in Tishosem in Tla’amin Nation; 8 to 9 pm, a candlelight vigil and drumming circle on the grass at Willingdon Beach.

In 2021, despite the disruption caused by COVID-19, hundreds of awareness day events were held in at least 37 countries to raise awareness of one of the world’s most urgent public health crises.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s most recent world annual drug report, nearly half a million people around the world died as a result of drug use in 2019. Early statistics and anecdotal evidence for the 2021 calendar year show that the situation is becoming ever-more critical, exacerbated in many areas by the pandemic decreasing the tolerance of people who use drugs and disrupting both services and the drug supply chain.

Educational events

Rachel Driedger, youth CAT coordinator, stated that starting at noon, the Community Resource Centre will open to the public for a lunch made by a community member who has experienced great losses due to poor public drug policy. Announcements by SUSTAIN (Substance Users Society Teaching Advocacy Instead of Neglect) will be part of the gathering, as will live music performed by Tommy Sings.

“Our hope is to promote education and solidarity instead of stigma and isolation, and to celebrate those who are still here,” added Driedger.

According to Courtney Harrop, coordinator for ?aȷǐmɛt Harm Reduction Circle, this event will be the grand opening of the new program and space.

“We are hosting our event to coincide with International Overdose Awareness Day, and it will include our grand opening, an ‘honouring our loved ones’ ceremony and community barbecue,” stated Harrop. “We will also be participating in Moms Stop the Harm’s empty chair campaign. We will have guests from Moms Stop the Harm as well as the First Nations Health Authority.

“Mental health support will be provided onsite for those who need it, and we will have a resource and information table, including naloxone, set up about harm reduction and the toxic drug crisis.”

Monument coordinator Maggle Gisle stated that organizers are looking for family and friends of loved ones who have passed away from the toxic drug supply in the community.

“Let’s bring people together who want to make a memorial monument built with family and friends speaking about loved ones who passed away from fentanyl overdoses, recorded for others to hear.” stated Gisle. “We need a list of family and friends who have an interest in this project as soon as possible. We also need persons who can help create a monument where you push a button and hear a loved one’s story.”

Those wishing to help can email Gisle at maggygislemoon13@gmail.com.

“I am happy to be in the position to provide space to support the resilience and grief of those most affected by the overdose and toxic drug supply crisis,” stated Deagan Crawford, Community Resource Centre (CRC) coordinator. “I believe this is a time where we can come together as a community to honour the loss of friends and family as well as find ways to stand together in solidarity not just on this day, but everyday.

“I want the CRC to support community by promoting education, activism and awareness, and to move away from fear generated by stigma that feeds isolation and hopelessness for many folks in our community. I want every single person who enters the CRC to know they are loved, welcome, and that their presence on this earth is valuable and irreplaceable.”

 

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DEA in Miami warns of synthetic drug field mass overdose events in Florida

DEA in Miami warns of synthetic drug field mass overdose events in Florida

MIAMI, Fla. — The Miami field office of the Drug Enforcement Administration warned Florida communities there had been an increase in mass-overdose events across the Sunshine State related to drug supplies laced with a synthetic opioid.

The DEA said synthetic opioids like fentanyl are inexpensive to produce, highly addictive and are being mixed with other illicit drugs to drive addiction and create repeat buyers. The DEA and other experts have said a dosage as small as 2 milligrams is enough fentanyl to be deadly for some adults.

According to the DEA, there have been synthetic opioid mass-overdose events (3 or more overdoses occurring close in time and at the same location) in at least three Florida counties over the last two weeks. Those events have resulted in hospitalizations and deaths.

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Mass-overdose events typically occur when criminals market drugs like cocaine, meth, or heroin when the drug is actually a synthetic opioid like fentanyl or when drug dealers sell fake prescription pills that look legitimate but actually are laced with fentanyl, the DEA said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the signs to look for with a fentanyl overdose include:

  • small, constricted ‘pinpoint pupils’
  • falling asleep or losing consciousness
  • slow, weak, or no breathing
  • choking or gurgling sounds
  • limp body
  • cold and/or clammy skin
  • discolored skin (especially in lips and nails)

If you think someone is overdosing, even if you’re not sure, the CDC said to take the following steps:

  1. Call 911
  2. Administer naloxone (NARCAN), if available
  3. Try to keep the person awake and breathing
  4. Lay the person on their side to prevent choking
  5. Stay with the person until emergency assistance arrives

Naloxone/Narcan is available over the counter at pharmacies across Florida. It’s also available in every county in the state of Florida. A full list of locations can be found here.

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Toxic Drug Alert Issued for Terrace After Increase of Overdose Events

Toxic Drug Alert Issued for Terrace After Increase of Overdose Events

Northern Health has issued a toxic drug alert, covering the Terrace area, after an increase in overdose events in the community.

Being sold as down, in both powder and pebble form, the purple substance contains highly toxic levels of both fentanyl and benzodiazepines.

Users are urged not to use alone or mix with alcohol, know your tolerance, start low and go slow, and to make use of overdose prevention sites.

Terrace’s local overdose prevention site is operated by the Intensive Case Management Team, at 4450 Grieg Avenue, and is open from noon to 4:00 Monday to Friday, except holidays.

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Regina overdose events decrease in February

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Regina’s chief of police says a number of factors can influence overdose statistics for a given month.

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Mar 29, 2022  •  39 minutes ago  •  2 minute read  •  Join the conversation

Row upon row of wooden crosses meant to represent the lives lost in Saskatchewan to drug overdose line the grass in the park across from the Saskatchewan Legislative Building in Regina, Saskatchewan on August 31, 2021. The crosses were erected for an event marking National Overdose Awareness Day.
Row upon row of wooden crosses meant to represent the lives lost in Saskatchewan to drug overdose line the grass in the park across from the Saskatchewan Legislative Building in Regina, Saskatchewan on August 31, 2021. The crosses were erected for an event marking National Overdose Awareness Day. Photo by BRANDON HARDER /Regina Leader-Post

In Regina, a collectively held breath may be the initial response to a set of statistics showing a drop in overdose events in February.

Whether a deadly wave has crested and begun to recede, or the decline is simply an anomaly in the midst of a crisis is yet to be seen.

Presented during the Board of Police Commissioners’ meeting at City Hall on Tuesday, the stat package indicates that for the month of February, police documented 99 drug overdose events, down from 141 in January.

In February, police recorded eight apparent overdose deaths, each one a tragedy, but the figure represents just over a third of the 23 deaths recorded in December of 2021 — a grim bookend for a year wherein a record 160 apparent overdose deaths in the city were recorded.

Regina Police Service Chief Evan Bray said there could be a lot of factors that contributed to the decline in numbers.

“Some of it could be actions that are happening in the community through harm reduction,” Bray told commissioners.

“It could be availability of drugs in the community, or even sometimes just the toxicity of the drugs that are here, and the effects that they’re having on people that are consuming them.”

He went on to say that in 2021 “there was a bit of a rollercoaster effect” in terms of the fluctuation in overdose statistics, with some months seeing much higher numbers than others.

Indeed, recorded apparent overdose deaths per month ranged from six to 23 throughout 2021, which saw an average of 13.3.

The current average for 2022 is nine.

“We know that we’ve lost more people, probably, to overdoses than we did to COVID, here in the city,” Regina Mayor Sandra Masters told the media following the meeting.

But she too was left to hypothesize somewhat about the cause for the partial reprieve in overdose events.

She said she’s aware that the number of people accessing a safe consumption site have increased “significantly,” and she pointed to a no drug use policy within shelters, especially during a February cold snap, as having potentially contributed.

But she was cautious about the decrease, saying statistics will need to be continuously monitored to understand the effectiveness of outreach and programming.

Harm reduction advocates have voiced concerns that if measures they deem to be successful don’t produce positive, tangible statistics within a given timeframe, finding funding can be difficult.

When this was put to her, Masters maintained the importance of data.

“There’s nothing wrong with drawing correlations,” she said.

But she feels tackling the issue may take time and tenacity.

“I think it’s important to look across the country at best practices and what’s working where, and being courageous enough to kind of actually lead in terms of funding some of that.”

bharder@postmedia.com

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