High Number of Overdoses Sparks Fentanyl Probe
Prince George, B.C.- Over the past 24 hours, 5 people have been treated for drug overdoses in Prince George.
All five were taken to the Emergency Department of the University Hospital of Northern B.C. for treatment, and all have recovered.
All five were known users of opioid drugs, which has raised the question about whether or not the overdoses were linked to Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid . Fentanyl was detected in toxicology testing of two fatal drug overdoses in Dawson Creek earlier this year and has been linked to numerous cases in the lower mainland.
Fentanyl is 50-100 times more toxic than other opioids. The dose must be carefully monitored to avoid accidental overdose. This makes it particularly high risk for people who have never used opioids or for people who may mistakenly use fentanyl thinking it is something else.
Northern Health and the Prince George RCMP are investigating the cause of the overdoses.
Early Signs of Overdose:
- Severe sleepiness
- Slow heartbeat
- Trouble breathing
- Slow, shallow breathing or snoring
- Cold, clammy skin
- Trouble walking or talking
If these symptoms are present, call 9-1-1.
While further testing is underway to see if Fentanyl played a role in this rash of overdoses in Prince George, there is no word on when there may be a definitive answer.
Comments
What idiots. There has been widespread coverage of this issue and they are still risking their lives for a fix.
Not everyone can just kick the habit because a bad drug is out there.. Think about that. Opioid drug users are probably addicted to that crap so stopping isn’t the easiest thing for drug users to do. Now first time opioid drug users are the dumb ones since they can prevent not being stupid and heed the warnings.
More waste of valuable resources.
Death…Great way to quit… and it does not cost taxpayers anything. How can you feel sorry for these fools. We should give it away for free, and watch our crime rate drop.
You have to wonder how many of these will be repeat customers.
Fentanyl’s toxicity is frightening. Many opioid drug users have a traumatic story, and getting clean and remaining clean is not easy.
I do worry about the toxicity of many drugs, and sometimes, a warning of this nature can be helpful. No quick fixes for sure.
I know drug dealers are not the sharpest knives in the drawer, but isn’t killing your customers kind of bad for business?
being an addict is not something you can just “quit”. I have an addicted daughter and it’s not easy. She’s getting help now, but they can’t just walk away. The problem is, when they are looking for a fix, they don’t care what it is, and the dealer is likely telling them it’s cool, it’s good, there’s nothing bad in it. They just want the high…It’s a cycle, and it takes a lot of work to break. Those of you that have never lived it, or had a loved one live with addiction, need to shut the eff up, you have no idea what you’re talking about!
Donald McK….
I guess u live a sheltered and blissful existence and none of your family or friends has an addiction so you don’t have any skin in this game. if your head wasn’t so far up your own a$$ you you might actually realize that this is something that doesn’t just happen to “someone else” and there are some loved ones battling addiction that die from this drug…. just saying
Addictions are their own fault, no one to blame but them self. I agree someone probably does love these fools, just like someone loves the latest serial killer, I just do not cry or worry about addicted losers who die because of their own stupidity.
censored said – ‘and there are some loved ones battling addiction that die from this drug…. just saying’ – Sorry, my heart goes out to sick kids with terminal illnesses and conditions. Druggies OD’ing from a mix of illegal drugs fall between drunk drivers and vandals.
.. and before you start preaching about ‘how I wouldn’t understand’ I lost a brother to drugs. No amount of help mattered, it’s a ticking time bomb.
Some people are alarmingly uneducated
Well sunshine I have to agree with you . The stuff has been around since 1960 . It’s the stuff the Russians used to kill the hostage takers and 700 hostages in the Moscow theatre hostage crisis . Who’s making it and how is it getting here ? That should be the question . If you want a solution that works . Go ask Portugal .
This is the thing about some of the commenters of this site. They think whatever their opinion is, that the majority of Canadians or even citizens in the rest of the world really think the same way or give a crap about what they think,so don’t go about being all self righteous or flattering yourselves.
I guess it is easy to compare lives. After all we were all raise equally with good role models and values. Just saying!
They say quitting smoking is harder to quit then drugs. as a ex-smoker i wouldn’t really know. I had enuff brain cells to not let peer pressure get me into the harder stuff, like some teenagers. I’m sure most of the above people had tried soft stuff just as i had as a youngster. But like smoking, and drinking – drug use is just an escape/crutch from reality and boredom it is the underlying cause of mental issues instead of the drugs maybe they should try a phyciatrist or mental hospital, or even getting a job. Everyone blames the pusher, but the real blame lays on the druggie themselves.
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