The Renfrew County District Health Unit, the Renfrew County Paramedics, and area OPP detachments are sending out a warning regarding a spike in drug overdose deaths. Officials say that they noticed an increase in calls for service related to overdoses since the end of September. RCDHU would like to remind everyone that street drugs may contain other drugs such as Xanax for which naloxone is not effective. It is important to call 9-1-1 immediately if you suspect that someone is experiencing an overdose.
• Don’t use alone – If you overdose and are with someone, they can get urgent help.
• Carry naloxone (Narcan®)- Naloxone can temporarily reverse an opioid overdose and kits are available for free throughout RCD at local pharmacies and other locations.
• Don’t mix drugs – Don’t mix drugs with other drugs or alcohol, as it puts you at higher risk of overdosing.
• Go slow – The quality of street drugs is unpredictable. If you are using street drugs, start by using in small amounts (testers or test doses) to check the strength of what you are using.
• Know your tolerance – Risk of overdose increases if you are a new user or have not used in 3 or more days.
• If you have no other choice than to use alone, always call the Overdose Prevention
Hotline 1-888-688-6677 (National Overdose Response Service) to have someone
standing by to call for help if needed. A volunteer will check in periodically and call
911 if there’s no response.
Understanding the signs of an overdose can help to save a life. These signs can include, but are not limited to:
• Person can’t be woken up.
• Breathing is slow or has stopped.
• Snoring or gurgling sounds.
• Fingernails and lips turn blue or purple.
• Pupils are tiny or eyes are rolled back.
• Body is limp.
It is possible an individual treated with naloxone may have a re-emergence of the opioid overdose once the naloxone ‘wears off’, since the duration of action of most opioids exceeds
that of naloxone. All overdoses are a medical emergency and calling 9-1-1 is an important step in saving someone’s life. Health officials ask that people who are aware of overdoses assist us by completing RCDHU’s anonymous online Overdose Reporting Form, which is used to support tracking overdoses within the community. The Overdose Reporting Form does not ask for any identifying information and can be completed directly on RCDHU’s website.
(Written by: Kyle Robinson)
