Fentanyl overdose deaths expected to rise in Nova Scotia, province says

The waiting list to access treatment for opioid addiction continues to grow at community-based methadone clinic, Direction 180.

“The longer a person is out there using (drugs) the less likely they will have success in treatment. It also puts them at risk for experiencing increased damage as a result of their addiction, like contracting bloodborne pathogens, potential overdose, losing their home and families,” Cindy MacIssac said, the executive director of the community-based methadone clinic.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The longer a person is out there using (drugs) the less likely they will have success in treatment. It also puts them at risk for experiencing increased damage as a result of their addiction, like contracting bloodborne pathogens, potential overdose, losing their home and families," Cindy MacIssac said, the executive director of the community-based methadone clinic.

Direction 180 is a harm-reduction non-profit organization that serves the opioid dependent population.

So far this year, the province is reporting that 49-people have died due to opioid overdoses.

For the past decade the province has averaged 60 opioid overdoses per year, mostly from a combination of prescription drugs, alcohol, benzodiazepines and other street drugs.

Fentanyl related deaths have skyrocketed across the country, particularity in British Columbia and Alberta.

READ MORE: Prescription Drug Abuse

B.C. declared a public health emergency in April after more than 200 people died in the first three months of 2016 due to opioid overdoses.

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Provinces and territories across the country are reporting increases in illicit fentanyl deaths.

Two deaths this year in Nova Scotia have been reported by the province as being fentanyl-related.

READ MORE: 49 people have died from opioid overdoses in NS this year

MacIssac says the province isn’t properly addressing the problem.

“It’s concerning because I think about what’s happening across the country and I know about the resource limitations that harm reduction agencies like Mainline Needle Exchange are experiencing, the Ally Centre of Cape Breton is experiencing, we’re experiencing,” she said.

MacIssac says there are currently 106 people waiting to access methadone treatment at the community-based clinic.

MacIssac says she met with Nova Scotia Minister of Health Leo Glavine in early spring to discuss funding.

The clinic requested $300,000 to address their waiting list and need for increased support.

The Department of Health and Wellness is giving them $50,000 for the remaining of the fiscal year.

A committee is being formed to develop an action plan to address the rise in addiction and overdoses.

“Senior representatives from 19 government departments and agencies, professional associations, health authorities and corrections met last week to begin the discussion of a comprehensive health, justice and policing response to opioid drug misuse and to the likely increase in illicit fentanyl in the province,” Tracy Barron, the media relations adviser with the Department of Health and Wellness.

MacIssac says the need for improved access to treatment is critical.

“People are lining up for help, they want to stop using,” she said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "People are lining up for help, they want to stop using," she said.

—With files from Natasha Pace.