Pubdate: Wed, 15 Oct 2014
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Page: A6
Copyright: 2014 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/theprovince/letters.html
Website: http://www.theprovince.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Cheryl Chan, with files from Frank Luba
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Insite (Insite)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Supervised Injection Sites)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Downtown+Eastside

BAD HEROIN LEADS TO RECORD OVERDOSES

At least 33 cases in three days reported at Insite as officials issue
new warning

A toxic batch of heroin has led to a record number of overdoses at
Vancouver's safe-injection site.

At least two overdoses were reported at Insite on Tuesday morning,
following 15 on Monday and 16 on Sunday, said Vancouver Coastal Health
spokesman Gavin Wilson.

The 16 incidents Sunday set a record for the highest number of
recorded overdoses in one day in the 11-year history of the Downtown
Eastside facility.

Hugh Lampkin, president of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users,
is concerned that there may be more overdoses to come.

"The bad heroin is probably still out there," he said.

It isn't yet known whether the overdoses were caused by a high
concentration of heroin or whether the drugs were laced with another
substance, said Vancouver police Const. Brian Montague.

Police had sent samples to Health Canada for analysis to determine the
composition of the drug used by some of the people who had overdosed.

"Heroin is a very powerful drug. It needs to be diluted a bit," said
Lampkin, whose organization is one of many DTES agencies helping
spread the word about the toxic batch.

"Good heroin" on the street usually has eight-to 12-per-cent purity,
he added. Higher than 12 per cent, it starts getting dicey.

Overdoses can also occur when the heroin is cut with other substances
such as Fentanyl, a powerful narcotic used for chronic pain and
usually administered through patches on the skin. The gossip on the
street is that the bad batch was laced with Fentanyl, he said.

"Now we're talking about two opiates. That's a pretty powerful dosage
you're doing," said Lampkin.

The contaminated heroin had prompted police to issue a warning Sunday
night to local drug users, following about a dozen overdoses at Insite
and the death of a woman at a DTES hostel.

Police believe the woman's death was related to toxic heroin, but
toxicology reports haven't yet confirmed the cause of death.

On Tuesday, Montague urged drug users to go to Insite where health
professionals can keep a watchful eye on users as they inject their
own drugs and can intervene if necessary.

"We're trying to encourage drug users if they're going to use heroin,
to use it with somebody," said Montague.

Lampkin said the figures from Insite don't adequately capture what is
happening on the street in the DTES.

The B.C. Ambulance Service also recorded a spike in overdose calls. It
received 13 overdose calls Sunday, 14 on Monday and four by Tuesday
afternoon.

The ambulance calls originated from Vancouver, including Insite, and
aren't limited to heroin overdoses, said a spokeswoman.
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