Following a spike in the number of drug overdose deaths, Interior Health has issued a drug poisoning alert for the entire region.
The alert is “based on the cluster of drug toxicity deaths in the Central Okanagan as well as concerning drug checking findings such as consistent benzodiazepine presentations, higher than average concentration of Fentanyl, and multiple findings of Xylazine in Cranbrook,” Interior Health said in a statement.
“Many of the recent drug toxicity deaths/overdoses have involved inhalation or smoking of substances.”
Of those who died Saturday due to toxic drugs, all were inside a home, while one person died alone, and the others were found in pairs. Interior Health wants to remind everyone that plans on consuming substances to plan ahead.
“Interior Health can help,” said Interior Health chief medical officer, Dr. Silvina Mema.
“We have a machine that can help people understand what it is in their substance before they use it, and also it’s important that they are with somebody, to not use alone and have naloxone.”
Dr. Mema added that those who passed away Saturday as a result of overdoses were recreational users and did not have a substance use disorder.
“The current toxic drug supply is particularly risky or dangerous for individuals who don’t have tolerance to substances, who are trying for the first time or who have relapsed,” said Dr. Mema.
Drug users are reminded to take home fentanyl testing strips or access FTIR technicians in your area. It’s advised that drugs be crushed into fine powder because doing so reduces the chance of hot spots, which are spikes of concentrated fentanyl in the substance.
People are reminded to stagger using if they are using together.
“Smoking is not safer than injecting, be cautious when smoking your drugs,” Interior Health said.
— with files from Jayden Wasney
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