The Grey Bruce Health Unit is renewing its urgent plea to people who use unregulated substances to presume all street drugs may contain fentanyl and to practice critical harm reduction strategies, such as not using alone and not mixing drugs with alcohol.
This comes after Public Health received notification that an individual in their mid 30s, who resided in Grey-Bruce, died December 6, 2022, of a suspected drug poisoning/overdose.
Fentanyl is the suspected opioid responsible for the death, although toxicology results are still pending. It is believed the individual was mixing opioids and alcohol.
The victim was pronounced dead in hospital after life-saving measures were unsuccessful.
This is the fourth suspected fatal drug overdose / poisoning reported to the Grey Bruce Health Unit since August.
“Public Health would like to extend our sincere condolences to the family members and other loved ones of the victim of this fatal drug overdose,” says Alexis Cook, program manager of GBHU’s harm reduction portfolio.
“The opioid and substance poisoning epidemic is a high-priority issue for the Grey Bruce Health Unit and we continue to work with our partners to educate and support individuals, families, and communities to prevent opioid and illicit drug poisoning. We urge everyone who uses street drugs to take extra precautions, like always carrying a naloxone kit, not mixing substances, and starting with a low dose and increasing slowly.”
The Grey Bruce Health Unit is advising the public that all street drugs should be deemed highly toxic and FATAL. People who use drugs are at significant risk of overdose due to the local street drug supply containing the highly toxic drug fentanyl and/or carfentanil.
If an individual must use alone, Public Health advises them to call the Overdose Prevention Line at 1-888-688-6677. An operator will stay on the line with the caller while the drug is used. In the event the caller becomes unresponsive, the Prevention Line operator will call 911 to make sure help arrives.
Overdose is a medical emergency. Call 911 or go to the Emergency Department.
The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act provides protection from simple possession charges when 911 is called for an overdose.
Public Health encourages residents to get overdose prevention training and carry a Naloxone kit.
Naloxone and safe drug-use equipment are available at the Grey Bruce Health Unit Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and through our participating sites. Call the Health Unit for details, or call 211.
For additional addiction services:
- ConnexOntario – 1-866-531-2600
- Withdrawal Management/RAAM Clinic (Rapid Access Addiction Medicine Clinic) – 519-376-5666
- G&B House – 519-371-3642 ext.1580
- Ontario Addiction Treatment Centre – 519-371-0007
- CMHA Grey Bruce Mental Health and Addiction Services – 519-371-3642
- Mental Health Crisis Line Grey Bruce – 1-877-470-5200
- Overdose prevention line (NORS) – 1-888-688-6677
- Grey-Bruce Public Health's harm reduction page
- If unsure – call 211
source: media release, GBHU
