Pubdate: Wed, 24 Aug 2016
Source: Maple Ridge News (CN BC)
Page: A1
Copyright: 2016 Maple Ridge News
Contact:  http://www.mapleridgenews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1328
Author: Neil Corbet

SUPERVISED DRUG USE BEING CONSIDERED

New Measures to Fight Plague of Overdoses in Region

Two people die of a drug overdose every day in B.C., and almost three 
every month in Maple Ridge.

With drug overdose deaths at emergency levels, the Fraser Health 
Authority will be considering supervised consumption services in 
Lower Mainland cities, among many measures.

The most recent statistics from the B.C. Coroners Service show the 
number of illicit drug overdose deaths in the province is still 
alarming, and that the synthetic opioid fentanyl is a killer.

There were 433 apparent illicit drug overdose deaths in B.C. from 
January until the end of July, a 74 per cent increase over the 249 
deaths over the same period in 2015.

Fentanyl was involved in 62 per cent of those deaths. Last year, the 
number was 30 per cent, and in 2012 it was five per cent.

Of the 433 fatal overdoses this year, the regions of the coroners 
service that include the Lower Mainland had the most with 244.

Nineteen deaths have occurred in Maple Ridge, compared to 27 for all 
of last year. The city is on pace for 33 overdose deaths in 2016.

Tasleem Juma of Fraser Health said there were 43 overdoses in Surrey 
on one weekend in July, caused by crack cocaine laced with fentanyl.

That got B.C.'s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Perry Kendall talking 
publicly about the need for supervised consumption sites.

"It's certainly something we are looking at in our big-picture 
strategy," confirmed Juma.

She said there is nothing specific in the works, and most of the 
discussion so far has concerned Surrey.

However, she said health officials will look at cities where the need 
is greatest, and begin the conversation with the municipality and stakeholders.

Juma said it is possible to have a supervised consumption service 
without a full facility like the Insite Supervised Injection Site 
that opened in Vancouver 13 years ago. Instead, it could be offered 
in a facility where other health services are available.

Mayor Nicole Read said the number of overdoses in Maple Ridge have 
health officials considering supervised consumption here.

"We are a concerning city," she said.

But the mayor would rather see programs aimed at keeping youth away from drugs.

"We keep fighting fires in this province, and the cities are asked to 
get on the ground and help fighting fires," she said. "But I need to 
see the investment in upstream care. Invest in youth. What are you 
doing to stop our youth from entering those pathways?"

Keeping teens and young adults from using drugs has been a focus 
point for the city's Maple Ridge Resilience Initiative, and 
specifically the Strong Kids Team.

"Our kids are overdosing because they try things one time - that's 
really frightening for parents," said Read.

Fraser Health is beginning an overdose awareness public campaign, and 
messaging that "Overdoses don't discriminate" will be found at bus 
shelters, community centres and in other public places across the 
region over the comings weeks.

"There's a lot of work happening," said Juma

That work is being done by health providers, law enforcement, the 
coroners service, first responders and other partners throughout B.C.

Fraser Health is also expanding the availability of naloxone, a 
life-saving antidote to opioids such as fentanyl and heroin.

Fraser Health is also working to make naloxone nasal spray kits 
available, and to expand the training and provision of kits to 
include additional professions and organizations.

More than 50 emergency departments throughout B.C. are now giving 
naloxone kits to patients who have been treated for an opioid 
overdose and may be at risk for another.

Senior government is working to restrict access to pill presses and 
tableting machines, limiting access to the materials used to 
manufacture fentanyl and escalating charges for the importation and 
trafficking of fentanyl.

The province wants to establish a testing service to help people find 
out if their drugs contain adulterants, including fentanyl.

In April 2016, Dr. Kendall and Health Minister Terry Lake declared a 
public health emergency in response to the opioid overdose crisis. 
Since then, more information on overdose events has helped the health 
system and other partners identify what strategies will be most 
effective in preventing and responding to opioid overdoses.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom