Pubdate: Thu, 22 Sep 2016
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Times Colonist
Contact:  http://www.timescolonist.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Lindsay Kines
Page: A3

OVERDOSE DEATH RATE HIGHEST ON ISLAND: CORONER

Deaths highlight need for better treatment, supervised consumption
sites: advocates

Vancouver Island has the worst rate of illicit drug overdose deaths in
the province this year, prompting renewed calls for safe consumption
sites and better treatment and prevention services.

The latest statistics from the B.C. Coroners Service show Island
Health with a fatality rate of 18.1 per 100,000 to the end of August -
highest among all health authorities. The rate for the province as a
whole was 15.5 deaths per 100,000 people.

There were 93 deaths on Vancouver Island in the same time period and
39 in Victoria, placing the city behind only Vancouver with 96 and
Surrey at 62.

"The death rate really is unacceptable given that these deaths are
largely preventable," said Katrina Jensen, executive director of AIDS
Vancouver Island, which offers harm-reduction and drug-related support
services.

She said the statistics point clearly to the need for supervised drug
consumption sites in Victoria and Nanaimo.

"I think supervised consumption is an immediate response in terms of
people being able to use [drugs] in safe places where, if they
overdose, they can receive immediate assistance," she said.

"We give these messages to people telling them not to use alone, but
we don't really give them the support and resources to do that."

Victoria Coun. Marianne Alto said the city is working with Island
Health and Victoria police to establish a safe consumption site. The
current rules require Island Health to apply for a federal exemption
to operate the site, and Alto said she hopes that application will be
filed by the end of the year.

She expressed frustration, however, that the federal Liberal
government continues to require an onerous application process despite
its avowed support for the sites.

"The message that we've been hearing for more than a year now is: 'We
believe this is a solution. The evidence points to this as a solution.
We're going to make it easy for you.' And yet nothing has changed,"
Alto said.

Island Health declined to commit to a deadline for submitting the
application. A statement issued Wednesday said: "It depends on how
long it takes to identify possible sites and ensure a complete and
thorough public consultation process."

Dr. Paul Hasselback, a medical health officer with Island Health, said
there's no question the site is needed, but that other services are
required, as well.

"I'd be concerned if one thought that it was the panacea," he said.
"We need to have better prevention programs. We need to have better
case management and treatment programs available.

"And while I think we're making some incremental gains in those areas,
we need to make gains in all the areas across the board."

Provincially, the number of drug overdose deaths dropped slightly to
49 in August from 55 in July, but remains alarmingly high for the
year, said chief coroner Lisa Lapointe.

In the first eight months of the year, the province recorded 488
deaths - an increase of nearly 62 per cent over the same period in
2015.

Fentanyl remains the driving force behind the dramatic increase. The
powerful synthetic opioid was detected in 60 per cent of the deaths to
the end of July, Lapointe said.

"The most common fatality combination we see is fentanyl and cocaine,"
she said.

"Oftentimes, people using cocaine having absolutely no idea that it
may contain fentanyl.

"We have very few deaths in the province due to fentanyl alone, which
just emphasizes the risk of any illicit drug use."

Lapointe said the death toll would likely be far higher without the
increased use of naloxone to reverse opioid overdoses.

According to the province, more than 13,700 kits containing naloxone
have been dispensed in B.C. Kits are available at 297 sites, including
emergency departments and correctional facilities. Ambulance crews and
several fire departments also carry naloxone.

"It's clear that the expanded availability of naloxone is making a
tremendous difference and likely saving dozens, if not hundreds, of
lives in this province," Lapointe said.
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