Alberta Health Services has started a pilot program to offer suboxone to people who come in to some emergency rooms suffering from opioid overdoses.
The drug has been used by treatment facilities — like Simon House Recovery Centre — for years as a successful means of curbing cravings from addictions to hard drugs like fentanyl.
“Once someone is taking their suboxone as prescribed, they can’t go out and use or abuse other opioids or street drugs or get high,” said Trevor Loria, the centre’s president and CEO.
“The naloxone blocks that and keeps them safe from overdose.”
WATCH: Joshua Sigda has been using hard drugs including crack, heroin, and carfentynl for 11 years. Two months ago, he embarked on his fifth attempt to get clean. He spoke with Global’s Sarah Offin about what he’s doing differently this time in order to leave drugs behind and be a better father to his 9-year-old son.
Naloxone is commonly used in Alberta as means of stopping an opioid overdose. It’s just one of the ingredients in suboxone, which also helps stop the pain associated with cravings.
Suboxone is given to patients in the form of a tablet that melts under the tongue. It’s usually given for two months to about a year.
The cost of a year’s worth of treatment ranges from $11,000 to $13,000.
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