Alert: Rise of opioid-related overdoses in KFL&A area

KINGSTON – KFL&A Public Health is issuing an alert to warn residents about a recent rise in opioid-related overdoses and resultant hospital admissions in the last two weeks within the KFL&A region.

Recent data provided by local authorities and health care providers indicates the urgent need for continued action to expand the opioid response as opioid-related overdoses continue to increase in our region and across the province, and as more and more drugs (opioids and stimulants) are being contaminated with fentanyl, carfentail, and other lethal components.

“We do typically see a rise in overdoses during the summer months. However, over the past two and a half weeks, we’ve had roughly 7 hospital admissions because of opioid overdoses, which is unusual, even for this time period,” said Dr. Fareen Karachiwalla, Associate Medical Officer of Health at KFL&A Public Health.

In addition to informing key partners including the public, expanding access to naloxone kits and other harm reduction measures, and continuing to work on preventing opioid use and harms, KFL&A Public Health is urging people to:

• Use safely if you’re going to use. Using safely can include: not mixing drugs together and using small amounts to test out the drug.
• Not use alone.
• An Overdose Prevention Site (a safe, supportive space where people may engage in the supervised consumption of their substances by community support workers and paramedics trained to respond) has opened at Street Health Centre on Barrack Street and anyone can walk in and access it 7 days a week from 4:00 to 10:00 p.m.
• Be trained on the signs and symptoms of an overdose, which include:being slow or unresponsive, having slowed or no breathing, cool and clammy skin, and blue lips or nails.
• Carry a Naloxone kit.
• Naloxone is available for free at KFL&A Public Health, Street Health Centre, and participating local pharmacies. No OHIP card is required.
• Call 9-1-1 if you suspect an overdose.
• An overdose is a medical emergency. Anyone that suspects or witnesses an overdose should call 9-1-1, even if Naloxone has been administered.
• The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act provides some legal protection, including for simple possession, for people who experience or witness an overdose and call   9-1-1 for help.

More information about naloxone, and local treatment resources can be found at  www.kflaph.ca/naloxone.

About Kingston’s Overdose Prevention Site (OPS)

An Overdose Prevention Site is a safe, supportive space where people may engage in the supervised consumption of their substances. This supervision reduces the likelihood of adverse outcomes like fatal overdoses and is an extension of existing harm reduction programs that provide easy-to-access, life-saving harm reduction services in a stigma-free environment, to help reduce the growing number of opioid-related overdose deaths.

The OPS provides:

• supervised injection,
• harm reduction supplies, including disposal of used supplies,
• Naloxone, and
• connection with community support workers.

Kingston’s OPS is located within Kingston Community Health Centre—Street Health Centre (115 Barrack St., Kingston, Ontario).  Anyone is welcome to come to the OPS, which is open 7 days a week, between the hours of 4:00 to 10:00 p.m. The OPS is a drop-in service and does not require an appointment or a referral to access the site.