Opioid

• Region had sharp rise in opioid-related deaths, hospital visits during pandemic: MLHU

  The Middlesex-London Health Unit's findings mirror what's being seen across Ontario since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

  Health

  May 18
  
• Kingston-area public health calls for decriminalization of personal use drugs

  The health unit's Community Drug Safety Advisory Committee is calling on the federal government to decriminalize the use of drugs. 

  Canada

  Apr 25
  
• Advertisement
• 6th anniversary of B.C. drug crisis met with calls for rapid access to safer supply

  Since B.C. declared a public health emergency over the deadly tainted drug supply, more than 9,400 people have lost their lives, more than one in five of them last year alone.

  Health

  Apr 14
• Advertisement
• Group of doctors makes opioid crisis policy recommendations to Alberta government

  How do you tackle a deadly and ongoing poisoning crisis? A group of Edmonton-area doctors has a few ideas and so too does the provincial government.

  Health

  Apr 7
• Saint John police issue warning about opioid drug after carfentanil linked to 2 deaths

  Carfentanil, which is used to tranquilize large animals, is estimated to be 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl.

  Health

  Apr 7
• Peterborough Public Health issues alert following spike in drug poisonings

  The health unit says the increase in drug-related calls over the past two days may be related to purple-coloured fentanyl.

  Health

  Apr 5
• Illicit drug deaths January third-highest ever recorded in B.C.

  The British Columbia Coroners Service says at least 207 people died because of toxic illicit drugs in January.

  Health

  Mar 12
• Toronto police investigating after 4 deaths, 9 other incidents of suspected fentanyl overdose

  Police said the suspected drug overdoses occurred between March 4 and March 7 in Toronto's downtown area.

  Crime

  Mar 8
• Advertisement
• Alberta talking with social agencies about opening overdose prevention sites

  Overdose prevention sites tend to be more bare-boned than supervised consumption sites and can operate on a temporary instead of permanent basis.

  Health

  Mar 2
• Advertisement
• Advocate calls for B.C.’s drug-checking program to be scaled up

  Checking illicit drugs for deadly toxins is the best option to prevent fatal overdoses without a safer supply, but that service should be expanded says an advocate for drug users.

  Health

  Feb 19