SERIOUS RISKS FROM EMERGING OPIOID: FENTANYL ANALOGUES
Accidental opioid deaths are a leading cause of unintentional death, surpassing fatalities from motor
vehicle collisions in Ontario. Victims include citizens using opioids as prescribed; those experimenting;
and/or those opioid addicted or opioid dependent.
Recent reports from USA and Canada suggests there is an increase in Fentanyl-detected
overdose deaths due to Fentanyl manufactured in illegal labs. The onset of overdose associated
with the Fentanyl analogues may occur more quickly than other opioid overdoses. It is
important to call 911. A standard dose of the emergency medicine naloxone may NOT be
effective.
Fentanyl analogues in pill and/or powder formats have been found, or are suspected, in several
Provinces and States: British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Michigan,
and New York.
Street-level dealers may be unaware or are potentially misrepresenting the product to consumers. In
powder formulation, Fentanyl may be sold as is, or mixed with, or sold as, oxycodone, heroin and/or
other substances. In May, Peterborough Lakefield Police Service seized pills appearing to be
counterfeit OxyContin but which tested for high-dose Fentanyl. North Bay Police have cautioned
Desmethyl Fentanyl may be present in the North Bay area.
Recent developments raise several serious concerns:
 the potential for a rise in accidental overdose death and injury for residents, and a consequent
rise in hospital visits and admissions
 that people at risk of overdosing, or witnesses to an overdose, service providers and others do
not have the intervention tools to appropriately respond to an overdose medical emergency,
including access to a “take home naloxone” kit
 the absence of real-time monitoring systems for accidental overdoses in many jurisdictions
means any substantial rise may not be detected for some time
 911 call rates during illicit overdose emergencies continue to be low
Potential Precautions Could Include:
 Informing service providers and people at risk of, or witness to, an accidental overdose about the
potential for unusually dangerous opioids being available on the black market
 Monitoring the local situation
 Reporting any (unusually fast) overdoses, increased overdose emergencies, and unusual drug
seizures to appropriate authorities
We encourage you to share this advisory with your networks.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION
Michael Parkinson,
Waterloo Region Crime
Prevention Council,
519-504-8758
mparkinson@
regionofwaterloo.ca
St. Sgt. Larry Charmley,
Peterborough Lakefield
Community Police,
705-876-1122
Kerri Kightley,
Peterborough Drug Strategy,
705-876-1122 ext. 292
kkightley@
peterboroughdrugstrategy.com

Join CSCS and allies to an informal discussion and Q&A with Dave Diewert, a Downtown Eastside ally & organizer. Learn about the struggle to open Insite and share ideas for the campaign to open a supervised drug consumption site in Ottawa. When: Saturday, June 15th at 5:00 PM Where: Dundonald Park (across from the Beer Store on Somerset at Lyon) RSVP on Facebook A long-time friend and colleague of Bud Osborn, key catalyst in Canada’s harm reduction movement, Dave has been an active ally with the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users since its founding and played key roles in supporting and organizing actions. There was a whole plethora of discussions, research, outreach, drug-user initiatives and actions that pushed public opinion and local governments to support the idea of a safe injection site and its subsequent realization. This discussion will focus on some of the grassroots work done by drug users and allies around education, peer support and political actions that laid important and crucial groundwork for the establishment of Insite. Dave will explore aspects of the safe injection site narrative that often don’t get the recognition they deserve but were crucial to the emergence of Insite, before the momentum was taken up by health and government officials. We aim for this to be an anti-oppressive space & stigma-free space for people who use drugs. We hope to see you there! CSCS Ottawa CSCS Ottawa is a grassroots campaign of community members who advocate for the opening of safer consumption sites in Ottawa for people who use drugs. Visit us online at cscsottawa.ca, like us onFacebook, and follow us on Twitter.

WE ARE OPEN!!!

Come to D.O.P.(e)-DUAL-OASIS-PROUD Engagement, THE Drop In for drug consumers!!!

Open until 11:30!!!

Come by for coffee and conversation, and GREAT folks!