Pubdate: Sat, 30 Jan 2016
Source: Record, The (Kitchener, CN ON)
Copyright: 2016 Metroland Media Group Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.therecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/225
Author: Liz Monteiro
Page: B3

BOOTLEG FENTANYL, HEROIN SUSPECTED IN RASH OF OVERDOSES

WATERLOO REGION - Drug users who think they are buying cocaine or 
heroin may be also getting bootleg fentanyl, which is being blamed 
for overdoses across the country.

In Waterloo Region, six overdoses were reported in Cambridge and 
Kitchener from Jan. 23 to Jan. 26. One person died.

Heroin is suspected in five of the overdoses, while fentanyl is 
suspected in at least one.

Bootleg fentanyl is often created in a clandestine lab and could be a 
mixture of heroin, cocaine and crystal meth laced with fentanyl, said 
Staff Sgt. Shirley Hilton, head of drugs for Waterloo Regional Police.

Fentanyl is a powerful prescription drug often used for patients with 
severe pain, or to manage pain after surgery.

The rash of overdoses has many concerned, including the Waterloo 
Region Integrated Drugs Strategy, a group of agencies looking at drug 
prevention. The group put out an alert this week warning users to 
never use drugs alone, to try a small amount first and avoid mixing substances.

"If you are going to do drugs, you want to be as safe as possible," 
said Michael Parkinson of Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council.

Waterloo Regional Police are part of the drug strategy group. 
Although crime prevention through enforcement is their first 
priority, "we are not blind," Hilton said.

"We will always have people that use," she said.

In 2013, there were 21 opioid-related overdose deaths in the region - 
more than the number of people who died in motor vehicle crashes, 
Parkinson said.

Across Ontario, one person dies every 14 hours from an opioid-related 
overdose, he said.

Opioids include oxycodone, hydromorphone, fentanyl, methadone and heroin.

Parkinson said there is real concern that the overdoses seen in 
Alberta could be seen in Ontario.

In 2011, there were six fentanyl overdoses in Alberta. The number of 
fentanyl overdoses has climbed steadily each year in that province: 
66 in 2013, 120 in 2014 and 238 in the first six months of 2015.

"This should be no surprise we are at this point," Parkinson said. 
"This crisis has been unfolding for a decade."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom