Pubdate: Fri, 06 Jun 2014
Source: Montreal Gazette (CN QU)
Copyright: 2014 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.montrealgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/274
Author: Karen Seidman
Page: A4

AGENCY ISSUES WARNING ABOUT STREET DRUGS

Public Health Department Probing 15 Recent Overdose-Related Deaths

Montreal's public health agency issued a warning on Thursday about an 
alarming spike in the number of overdoses recently related to street-drug use.

The Montreal Public Health Department is investigating 28 recent 
overdoses - including 15 deaths - which involved severe poisoning 
linked to street-drug use. So far it's been mainly in the Montreal 
region, but it's believed there have been cases in the Outaouais, 
Laval and the Laurentians as well.

The number of deaths is at least three times higher than expected - 
and with Montreal gearing up for its annual party known as the Grand 
Prix, public health officials felt compelled to issue a warning about 
buying street drugs.

"One in two of the overdoses resulted in death and that is very 
significant. These are very dangerous products," said Richard Masse, 
director of the department. "One very worrying thing is that this is 
not just being caused by IV drugs, but by inhaling drugs. That's a 
bit unusual." The cases involved people - aged 20 to 65 - who 
injected, sniffed or inhaled heroin, cocaine or counterfeit oxycodone 
pills. An investigation is ongoing and it hasn't yet been determined 
if all the deaths are related to a single substance, but changes in 
the composition of drugs used in the reported cases is suspected.

Last week, the department issued a similar warning about street 
drugs, saying they were investigating 14 severe overdoses and nine 
deaths. It was believed to be due to the addition of fentanyl, an 
opioid that is 40 times more powerful than heroin and 50 to 100 times 
more powerful than morphine.

This week brought a sharp increase in both the number of overdoses 
and deaths, although Masse said it is too early to blame fentanyl, 
which is often used for a booster effect in drugs. After a drug bust 
locally last year, a lab producing fentanyl was shut down, but that 
doesn't mean all production stopped, he said.

Could the dangerous substance be in less hard drugs, like marijuana? 
There is some concern, said Masse, but more investigation is needed.

"Our main message right now is that when you buy something on the 
street, you really don't know what you're getting," he said, adding 
that people who inject, inhale or sniff drugs, whether regularly or 
occasionally, need to be careful. "The composition of the drugs they 
take could be cut with products that can make the drug much stronger, 
cause a person to stop breathing, and lead to death."

That really is one of the dangers of street drugs today, said 
Seychelle Harding, director of communications for Le Portage, a 
non-profit organization that helps people overcome drug and alcohol 
addiction in four provinces.

"Years ago, drugs weren't mixed," she said in an interview.

"Whether it was because they didn't have the knowledge or the money, 
but drugs were purer. Nowadays, there are all kinds of chemicals used 
and it's quite alarming."

She said the centre had only one case of a heroin user last week who 
had an adverse reaction, but the person is now fine.

"Of course we're telling people to be careful," she said.

"This is very disturbing news and we're happy it's being talked 
about." The department is asking doctors and nurses in intensive care 
units and emergency rooms to report overdose cases who require 
assisted ventilation, resuscitation or hospitalization, or who have 
died. They're being asked to take blood samples to better document 
the situation and to try to identify the substances involved.

The public health department is also collaborating with the health 
and social services network, community groups, the coroner's office, 
Quebec's public health institute and the Montreal police.

Harding said a drug addict living on the street might not heed any 
warning, but others might.

"Maybe the warnings will save a couple of lives," she said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom