Pubdate: Thu, 28 Jan 2016
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Lori Culbert
Page: A6

REPORT SHOWS SPIKE IN YOUTH OVERDOSES

Drug overdose deaths among teens and young adults are on the rise in
B.C., and reversing the trend will require more education and support
for foster kids, native children and school-age students, a new
coroner's report says.

About 30 B.C. youth aged 13 to 23 fatally overdosed each year between
2004 and 2010, but that rose sharply to 45 deaths in 2011 and spiked
to 48 in 2013. Numbers for the last two years were not in the report,
but may have continued to climb as overdose deaths - fuelled partly by
the powerful synthetic drug fentanyl - hit an all-time high in B.C.
last year. The report, "Preventing Death After Overdose," called for
high school students and those with links to foster care to be
educated about how to recognize when their friends are overdosing, and
to be assured that phoning 911 means asking for help, not getting into
trouble.

It also encouraged native health organizations to more frequently use
B.C.'s Take Home Naloxone program, introduced in 2012 to reduce deaths
from opioid overdoses.

"Overdose deaths occur more frequently in socially and economically
disadvantaged groups of people," said the report, written by a panel
of experts. "Young people who are in contact with child welfare
services may be particularly vulnerable and could benefit from
messaging about recognizing the signs of an overdose."

The report analyzed the 182 overdose deaths of young people in B.C.
between 2009 and 2013.

More than 57 per cent had previous or current contact with the
Ministry for Children and Families. And 20 per cent were aboriginal,
despite the fact that natives make up just five per cent of B.C.'s
population.

Twenty-six of the overdose victims were teenagers, aged 13 to 18, and
the majority of them were with at least one other person when they
died. In only six of these cases, however, did someone express concern
about the teens' well-being before they died. The remaining 156
victims were aged 19 to 23, and twothirds were alone when they
overdosed. Researchers were unable to say whether anyone was worried
about their medical state prior to their deaths.

"A primary issue resulting in these drug- and alcohol-related deaths
was a delay in seeking immediate medical intervention," the report
says.

For this reason, the report recommended the children's ministry ask
foster parents and organizations that support foster children about
the best way to teach youth how to recognize and react to signs of an
overdose.

It also suggested the education ministry update physical education
curriculum to address phoning 911 when young people are in medical
distress, including overdoses.

It also called on ambulance and police agencies to assure the public
that the safety of the patient - not criminal wrongdoing - is their
main focus when responding to an overdose call.

"The essential message in this report is seeking immediate medical
attention by calling 911," Michael Egilson, head of the B.C. Coroners
Service child and death review unit, said in an interview.

Dr. Evan Adams, chief medical officer with the First Nations Health
Authority, said substance misuse is often complex. His health
authority is analyzing coroner's service data to better understand the
trends and find possible solutions.

"We understand partly this is a systemic issue. How do we actively
discourage the use ofdrugs and alcohol in young people, who often
experiment and who are often cavalier?" he asked.

"Seeking fun and adventure is part of a young person's experience, but
how do they do that without dying in the midst of it?" Other findings
in the report:

* Most of the overdoses were caused by mixing drugs (mainly opioids
and stimulants), or by combining those drugs with alcohol;

* One-third of the victims had been diagnosed with some type of mental
illness;

* Ninety-one per cent of the deaths were in urban centres, such as
Metro Vancouver, Victoria or Prince George;

* Only 20 per cent of the victims had attended detox or drug
treatment;

* Overdoses by three of the teens and 10 of the young adults were
suicides.

Source: "Preventing Death After Overdose" report, B.C. Coroners Service, 
January 2016

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[sidebar]

Warning signs someone may be overdosing

Depressants (i.e. opioids such as heroin, OxyContin or morphine, or
benzodiazepines such as Valium)

* Shallow breathing * Snoring or gurgling * Blue lips or fingertips *
Floppy arms and legs * Disorientation * No response to stimulus *
Unconsciousness Stimulants (i.e. amphetamines, such as speed, cocaine)
* Chest pain * Disorientation/confusion * Severe headache * Seizures *
High temperature * Difficulty breathing * Hallucinations *
Unconsciousness

Alcohol

* Disorientation * Loss of co-ordination * Vomiting * Seizures *
Irregular or slow breathing * Blue tinged or pale * Unconsciousness