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‘It’s not worth your life’: Nova Scotia man warns of fentanyl danger

Click to play video: 'Nova Scotia man flees Vancouver in midst of fentanyl crisis'
Nova Scotia man flees Vancouver in midst of fentanyl crisis
WATCH ABOVE: Global's Alexa MacLean introduces you to one man who's seen the impact of fentanyl up close and personal – Mar 2, 2017

One Nova Scotia man is sharing his experiences with fentanyl in the hope of raising awareness around the deadly drug.

“Don’t go near it – it’s not worth it. It’s not worth your time; it’s not worth your life for sure,” the man told Global News on Thursday.

Fearing for his safety, he spoke to Global News under the condition of anonymity.

READ MORE: ‘Please don’t judge’: Mother whose son died from fentanyl overdose says the drug doesn’t discriminate

He spent the past 20 years living in Vancouver, a city that’s been paralyzed by the outbreak of illicit fentanyl.

According to the statistics from the BC Coroners Office, over 900 people died in 2016 from fentanyl overdoses.

“I was afraid of dying. I’m an addict, and out there in BC they’re dropping four or five a day, every day,” the man said.

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Halifax Regional Police sent out a joint public advisory with the RCMP on Wednesday, warning people of the arrival of fentanyl in the province.

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READ MORE: Halifax police, RCMP issue advisory over presence of illicit fentanyl

Since January, police say they’ve found fentanyl in six residential searches.

It’s an announcement that doesn’t come as a surprise to those who work on the front lines of addiction.

“This is a health issue and it’s [impacting] not any one population. We need to be prepared to help those folk who are in the grip of addiction, who are using,” said Cindy MacIsaac, executive director of Direction 180, is a community-based methadone clinic that provides access to treatment and support to those battling substance use.
“Maybe they choose to use, maybe they can’t stop using. Whatever their individual circumstances are, [we need] to treat them with respect, health care and prevention initiatives to mitigate fatal outcomes,” she said.
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Police have warned that fentanyl could be cut into drugs other than opioids – a message that resonates with those who’ve seen the impact of overdoses first-hand.

“It’s in everything – you think you’re buying one drug and you’re actually buying fentanyl and you don’t know it and that’s the danger of it,” the former fentanyl user said.

Police are advising people to administer the drug Naloxone in the case of an opioid-related overdose.

The drug reverses the immediate effects of an overdose and provides a window of opportunity to save someone’s life while they wait for further medical assistance.

 

 

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