Pubdate: Sun, 25 Jun 2017
Source: Calgary Sun, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2017 The Calgary Sun
Contact: http://www.calgarysun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.calgarysun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/67
Author: Meghan Potkins
Page: 5

UNINTENTIONAL KILLERS

Opioid's potency means illicit drug producers unknowingly create
deadly doses

More Albertans died from drug overdoses involving the powerful
synthetic opioid carfentanil in the first five months of the year than
in all of 2016, according to new data from the province.

There were 34 overdose deaths in Alberta involving carfentanil in the
first 20 weeks of 2017, surpassing the 32 deaths identified by
authorities last year.

Carfentanil is a potent sedative used by veterinarians to tranquilize
large animals.

It's approximately 100 times more toxic than fentanyl and 10,000 times
more potent than morphine.

While the antidote naloxone can be used to reverse a carfentanil
overdose, it has to be used in much larger amounts to be effective.

Carfentanil and other lethal synthetic opioids related to fentanyl
will continue to be sold and consumed on Calgary streets because of
their low cost and accessibility, police say.

"What does concern me is that the people that are trafficking in these
drugs, that are (importing the raw materials) to create street drugs,
quite often themselves don't necessarily know what analogue of
fentanyl is in it," said Calgary police Staff Sgt. Jason Walker, who
sits on the province's emergency opioid commission.

"The producers themselves are unwittingly making it far more deadly
than they intended."

The Calgary police have dispatched around 70 samples of suspected
fentanyl or related synthetic opioids seized in various investigations
to Health Canada labs for testing so far this year.

It can take months for the results to return, but so far labs have
confirmed the presence of carfentanil in at least three samples.

"And we've got dozens that we're waiting to hear back on," Walker
said.

"We absolutely have seen carfentanil in Calgary and we know from
investigations that Calgary has been a specific destination for
international shipments of carfentanil," Walker said.

While the number of deaths involving carfentanil in Alberta has
increased, the overall number of fentanyl-related deaths could be
stabilizing, according to Alberta health's latest interim report on
the opioid crisis.

Approximately 56 people died from an apparent fentanyl-related drug
overdose in Alberta between April 2 and May 13.

In the previous six-week period, around 57 people died.

"The number of apparent drug overdose deaths related to fentanyl in
2017 continues to be significant, and the trend appears to be
stabilizing based on the number of deaths in the previous six week
periods," the province said in the latest report.

About 176 people died from fentanyl-related overdose in 2017 so far -
77 of those deaths occurred in Calgary, which has the highest rate of
opioid-related deaths in the province.

"We know the health sector alone cannot solve the opioid crisis," said
Dr. Karen Grimsrud, chief medical officer of health, in a statement to
Postmedia.

"Through our new opioid emergency response commission, we are taking a
comprehensive approach to address carfentanil and misuse of all
opioids. This includes working with all partners, including law
enforcement, health providers, community groups, and other public
safety sectors."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt