Drug overdoses are on the rise in Kingston, Ont., and the surrounding area, warns Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health.
The health authority says it has seen a 15-per cent spike in apparent drug poisonings in the last week.
They say there’s also been an increase in clients experiencing “very prolonged deep sedation and hallucinations.”
“These observations highlight the continued unpredictability and toxicity of the unregulated drug supply in our community,” public health said in a statement.
“It is vital that people do not use drugs alone and 911 is called immediately for emergency medical care when drug poisoning is suspected.”
Public Health advises users to avoid using more than one drug at a time, to use slowly, and to always carry a naloxone kit.
According to numbers recently released from the KFL&A, drug-related deaths in the region rose from 16 in 2016 to 53 in 2022.