Public Health Grey Bruce has issued an Opioid Overdose Alert.
The Health Unit says they received reports of two fatal drug poisonings on Friday (December 11th).
They say they occurred near Owen Sound and in Hanover.
According to Public Health the substance involved appears to be fentanyl or carfentanil.
They say in one event, the drug was in the form of a whitish/pink substance.
The Health Unit says there has been a consistent trend of highly toxic street drugs leading to fatal overdoses over the past 2 weeks, and they note, all street drugs should be deemed highly toxic.
They say people who use drugs are at significant risk of overdose due to the local street drug supply containing the highly toxic drug Fentanyl and/or Carfentanil. People must assume that any and all drugs purchased on the street contain Fentanyl or Carfentanil (100 X stronger than fentanyl) and considered extremely toxic. They urge people who use drugs to do so as safely as possible by following some Harm Reduction strategies:
Avoiding using alone.
When using with someone else, avoid using at the same time.
Call the OVERDOSE PREVENTION LINE at 1-888-853-8542 if you must use alone
Avoid mixing different drugs.
Mixing drugs, including alcohol, increases the risk of overdose.
Go slow.
Use smaller amounts and do test doses to check the strength of the drug. Know your tolerance.
If using after a period of not using, use less.
Get overdose prevention training and carry a Naloxone kit.
Overdose is a medical emergency. Call 911 or go to the Emergency =
Department.
The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act provides protection from simple possession charges when 911 is called for an overdose.
The Overdose prevention line is a vital phone service for people that are using drugs alone. It is a service that allows users to call so that they can be safe while using alone. An operator will stay on the line with the user while the drug is used. In the event that the user becomes unresponsive, the Prevention Line operator will call 911 to make sure that help arrives.
