Police in Woodstock to carry naloxone

All 68 frontline police officers in Woodstock will now carry naloxone nasal spray while they’re out on duty.

Woodstock police made the announcement Thursday. Chief Bill Renton says the naloxone rollout will provide police and the public with increased protection against fentanyl and other opioid risks.

The provincial government also announced Thursday it would offer naloxone to police and firefighter services across the province as it continues to grapple with an opioid crisis.

New figures show there were 336 opioid-related deaths in the province from May to July of this year, an increase of 68% from the same time period last year.

Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health, David Williams, says there’s no way to stop the trend on a dime.

“We didn’t get here overnight, we’re not going to get out of it very quickly,” said Williams. “We have a lot of work ahead of us, this strategy is another important step as we move forward.”

Community Safety Minister Marie-France Lalonde says it’s important to protect first responders.

“We know that having naloxone in the hands of first responders who might be working with at risk populations, is a valuable tool that saves lives.”

Ontario also revealed that from July to September there were almost 25,000 emergency room visits related to opioid overdoses, an increase of 115 per cent from a year earlier.