Pubdate: Fri, 02 Jun 2017
Source: Recorder & Times, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2017 Recorder and Times
Contact: http://www.recorder.ca/letters
Website: http://www.recorder.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2216
Author: Sabrina Bedford
Page: A1

OVERDOSE KITS IN SCHOOLS

Regional Catholic board has purchased Naxalone to counter possible
opioid overdoses

The region's Catholic education board is responding to the growing
threat of opioids in Eastern Ontario by placing overdose remedy kits
in all of its schools.

The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario( CDSBEO)
announced Tuesday it has purchased Naloxone kits for all of its
schools in response to the growing Fentanyl crisis that is making its
way through the counties, and in some cases claiming lives.

"We hope that these kits will never need to be used, but in the event
that they are needed, the Naloxone will help to buy time for someone
experiencing an opioid overdose until first responders arrive," said
the board's director of education, William Gartland.

Fentanyl - a synthetic opioid prescribed to treat severe pain - is
approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 40 times more
potent than heroi. There's been a surge in overdoses and deaths
associated with its use throughout the province recently.

Nalaxone is an anti-opioid drug that reverses a drug overdose, and
staff from each school throughout the board attended training sessions
in Kemptville and Cornwall recently to learn how to administer the
drug.

"Opioid related deaths are a leading cause of death in Ontario," said
Jennifer Adams, a nurse at the Leeds, Grenville and L an ark District
Health Unit, who led the workshops.

"These deaths are outnumbering motor vehicle collision deaths by a
long shot in our province, and there has been a 463 per cent increase
in opioid deaths between 2000 and 2013.

"In 2015, there were 735 opioid deaths in Ontario, and 201 of these
were from Fentanyl."

Drugs containing illicit Fentanyl have been found in Leeds and
Grenville recently, as the health unit warns the substance is being
mixed with other street drugs such as cocaine, crystal meth, heroin
and sometimes even marijuana.

The board recently partnered with the Upper Canada District School
Board (UCDSB) and local health units to host a series of public
information sessions to promote community awareness regarding the
Fentanyl crisis.

Overdoses of opioids - drugs such as heroin, but also painkillers like
morphine and fentanyl - are a serious problem in Ontario, and about 10
deaths in the tri-county area in the past 18 months are likely related
to Fentanyl misuse, according to the health unit.

 From 2009-2014 there were at least 655 confirmed fentanyl-related
deaths in Canada and most deaths were in Ontario, where there were 466
accidental or undetermined Fentanyl-related deaths from 2009-2013,
according to the health unit's website.

Bootleg Fentanyl is a highly toxic and dangerous opioid drug that has
been discovered in several areas across Eastern Ontario, the board
said, and it's also been detected in the cocaine supply in the area,
meaning the majority of people will unknowingly consume the drug.
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