Health officials say Kingston and the surrounding area has seen a concerning rise drug overdoses in the last week.
Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Public Health says it has seen a 50 per cent increase in apparent drug poisonings since Feb. 24.
Officials say consumption and treatment services are also reporting a rise in clients experiencing “very prolonged deep sedation and hallucinations.”
“While local data about the composition of the unregulated drug supply is not available, other Ontario jurisdictions have reported the presence of potent tranquilizers in the unregulated supply,” the health authority said in a statement.
“These observations highlight the continued unpredictability and toxicity of the unregulated drug supply in our communities.”
To make matters worse, public health said the latest drug poisonings are not responding well to naloxone.
Drug users are being urged to avoid using drugs alone, not to use more than one drug at a time, to use slowly, and to carry a naloxone kit.
“While naloxone may not reverse the effects of a contaminant, it will still help reverse the effects of an opioid,” KFL&A said in a release.
The latest warning comes after KFL&A reported a 15 per cent spike in drug poisonings in the Kingston area in the week leading up to Feb. 2.
The nearby City of Belleville declared a state of emergency after emergency crews were called to 17 overdoses in just 24 hours on Feb. 6.