With the deadly illicit drug overdose crisis ongoing, a lifesaving drug is available to residents who are concerned they may encounter an individual in distress.
As of April 30, 2017, 488 people have already died across the province from illicit drug overdoses with 14 occurring in the Northern Health Authority region and three deaths in the Northwest health service delivery area, which includes Prince Rupert.
Naloxone, also sold under the brand name Narcan, is a drug used to block the effects of opioids (heroin, methadone, morphine, fentanyl and fentanyl-laced drugs).
The Toward the Heart website, a project of the provincial harm reduction program, states that take-home naloxone kits are available at no charge for people who are at risk of an opioid overdose and people who are likely to witness and respond to an overdose including family and friends.
City residents who fall into the above categories can arrange to receive a kit and training at the Prince Rupert Health Unit at 300 3rd Ave. W. The hospital has also completed naloxone training and nurses are able to dispense kits to individuals who are at risk for overdose.
For residents and business owners who do not meet the requirements for a free kit, the kits can be purchased at pharmacies including Safeway, Shoppers Drug Mart and Save-On Foods, with a price range between between $40 and $50. The pharmacy in Rupert’s Walmart does not carry naloxone kits.
First Nations individuals who qualify for benefits under the First Nations Health Authority can receive naloxone kits with no charge.
Who is at risk? Overdose occurs in people who smoke, snort or inject drugs.
- The number of overdoses and overdose deaths has been increasing since 2012
- Overdoses and overdose deaths are increasing because of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 100 times more potent than heroin.
- Many people who test positive for fentanyl don’t know they’re taking it
- Since fentanyl was introduced, more people have been having repeat overdoses
- Fentanyl was found in 60 per cent of overdose deaths in 2016
- Fentanyl has been found in pills (as fake oxycontin or other club drugs,) powder (as heroin or fentanyl) or as powder mixed into other drugs (crystal meth, cocaine, etc)
- In 2016 more than 930 unintentional illicit drug deaths occurred
- Four out of five deaths in 2016 were male
- In 17 out of 20 cases, 911 was not called
- In 2016, 50 people died of illicit drug overdoses in the Northern Health region