Pubdate: Tue, 03 Mar 2015
Source: Vancouver 24hours (CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 Vancouver 24 hrs.
Contact: http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/letters
Website: http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3837
Author: Ada Slivinski

FENTANYL CAMPAIGN AIMED AT REC DRUG USERS

Vancouver police warn about drugs such as marijuana being cut with
powerful opioid many times stronger than heroin

Vancouver police are warning both marijuana smokers and casual
"weekend" drug users about the risks of fentanyl after a spike in
overdose deaths where the drug has been detected.

"We're finding fentanyl is cut into pretty much any drugs that can be
found on the street, so heroin, marijuana, cocaine, Oxycodone," said
Const. Sandra Glendinning. She said that while no overdoses have
conclusively been linked to fentanyl-laced marijuana, "it is showing
up, which of course is putting people in that use category at risk."
Police said there have been no reports of dispensary marijuana laced
with the drug and they could not provide the number of cases where
they've found fentanyl in marijuana. Dr. Mark Lysyshyn, medical health
officer for Vancouver Coastal Health said recreational drug users are
most at risk because they have no tolerance for the drug, which is 50
to 100 times stronger than morphine.

"We know that the people that are dying of fentanyl in the Vancouver
Coastal Health region are not users of Insite - they're recreational
drug users who are snorting or smoking their drugs and are not using
them by injection and that speaks to the importance of this campaign.
We need those people to understand the risk that's present in the
community right now," said Lysyshyn.

There were over 300 illicit drug overdose deaths in 2014, according to
the BC Coroners Service. Fentanyl was linked to one-quarter of those
deaths - according to preliminary data - compared to only 5% in 2012.
The VPD, in conjunction with provincial health authorities, is
starting a six month campaign warning about the risks of fentanyl,
targeting those aged 18 to 49, using both a website and Facebook ads,
at a cost of $10,000 so far, according to Const. Glendinning. The
campaign, called "Know Your Source?" advises people who use illicit
drugs not to use alone, to first start with a small amount, avoid
mixing with other substances such as alcohol, and to call 911 right
away if someone overdoses.

Lysyshyn said that knowing where your drugs come from may not prevent
exposure to fentanyl, because even the drug dealers may not be aware
of its presence.
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