Williams Lake RCMP Warns Parents about Perils of Fentanyl
Williams Lake, B.C. – With kids back in school, Mounties in Williams Lake are reminding parents to educate their children about the dangers of drug use.
Inspector Jeff Pelley, the officer in charge of the detachment, warns parents in a letter that over 433 people have died between January and July 2016 in British Columbia as a result of an overdose.
“According to the BC Coroner fentanyl was detected in approximately 62% of those cases,” he writes. “The families of these people have been left devastated and their lives will never be the same. After examining several recent fentanyl-related calls for service, the Williams Lake RCMP is issuing a warning to parents about the dangers of fentanyl and other drug use.”
Pelley notes that fentanyl is “up to 100 times more toxic than morphine and a small amount can cause serious harm or death.”
He says W compounds are also appearing in the illegal market noting W-18 is 100 times more powerful than fentanyl, “making it over 10,000 times more potent than morphine.”
Pelley says fentanyl can be found in fake Oxycodone and Percocet tablets and heroin. He says fentanyl has also been found in other drugs such as powder cocaine, crack cocaine, MDMA, and meth.
To make matters worse, Pelley says users can’t “see, smell, or taste it” meaning a user would have no idea how much fentanyl may be in the drug they are about to consume.
He says drug users come from all “social-economic, cultural, and religious backgrounds” and that it’s important for parents to “never to automatically assume your child hasn’t already or isn’t already thinking about experimenting with drugs.”
Pelley recommends parents take the time to learn more about drugs and drug prevention and discuss it with their kids.
He says signs that your teen is using drugs include:
- Increased secrecy about possessions, friends and activities
- Use of incense, room deodorant, or perfume to hide smoke or chemical odours
- New interest in clothes that reference drug use
- Increased need for money, or
- Missing prescription drugs – especially narcotics or sedatives
Comments
Not enough is being done to stem the flood of Fentanyl overdoses, which is approaching epidemic proportions.
The provinces in the Atlantic provinces have trained their police officers to administer Naloxone kits to overdose victims, perhaps our government should follow suit? In my opinion, ALL first responders should be trained in administering these overdose kits, minutes and seconds saves lives!
Recent news;
All members of PG Fire Rescue are going to be trained to administer Naloxone.
There is a movement afoot in B.C. to have the same training provided to members of volunteer fire departments as well.
For example, Gabriola VFD already has the capability.
RDFFG should get on the bandwagon and ahead of the curve;
Arrange for the training.
Even if it (overdose) has never happened in your area, Yet.
It could happen.
metalman.
Like it has been said, do a little more research and you will be more credible when you do reply
I stated; “Atlantic provinces have trained their “police officers” to administer Naloxone kits to overdose victims,”
Last I checked Fire Fighters are not police officers, but are among “first responders” where I mentioned ALL (notice how I capitalized ALL for emphasis) to specifically include police officers, which is not being done in BC.
slinky, I can’t help it if your reading comprehension is at a grade school level, find someone else to hold your hand through a mature discussion.
Another rude comment from JGAlt:
“slinky, I can’t help it if your reading comprehension is at a grade school level, find someone else to hold your hand through a mature discussion.”
More online bullying JGalt?
SHAME ON YOU!
Galt, that was a very ignorant comment.
Yes, another extremely rude comment by jGalt! What is the medical term for behaviour like that? No one calls him out on it, so he thinks there is nothing wrong with bullying!
Yet when slinky states to me; “…do a little more research and you will be more credible when you do reply.” His insulting comment towards me gets a free pass from my obsessed groupies.
Flattered that you spend so much time and attention follow me around commenting on my comments… now run along.
And I can’t help it if you can’t do research before you post JGalt, pretty much all first responders will carry Naloxone now that is is available in a nasal spray. Won’t be long before security guards carry it, you can already get a home kit.
This came out yesterday ALL RCMP to carry Naloxone (not just Atlantic provinces):
ht tp://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/rcmp-naloxone-fentanyl-1.3761127
And another story – RCMP and Firefighters in PG will carry Naloxone
ht tp://www.myprincegeorgenow.com/35640/rcmp-carry-opioid-reversing-naloxone/
VPD story was 5 days ago:
ht tp://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/overdose-crisis-prompts-vpd-officers-to-carry-nasal-naloxone-kits-1.3755244
Surrey RCMP were the first to pilot the program (article from a year ago):
ht tps://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/surrey-rcmp-may-be-canadas-first-force-to-carry-202725514.html
So the Police (RCMP) are “going to be” trained and allowed to carry and administer Naloxone kits to overdose victims. They are NOT allowed yet but will be… nice that some common sense is “going to be” followed in this province. In Atlantic Canada, the police “already” carry and are trained to administer Naloxone kits to Fentanyl overdose victims.
What impresses me is the Fentanyl overdoses levels in Atlantic Canada have not reached critical levels there like they have been here in BC for the past half year. Hats off to a very pro-active government in the Atlantic Provinces, here in BC we seem to be behind, at the cost of hundreds of lives. IMO.
You state “In my opinion, ALL first responders should be trained in administering these overdose kits” and in fact they are being trained and in some areas soon will be packing.
Funny how there are no news stories of any police in the Atlantic provinces packing the stuff. I also notice you don’t show any “proof” all the police in Atlantic Canada carry naloxone already except your statement.
It is quite funny that the RCMP put out a news release stating “Naloxone is becoming a commonplace item aboard ambulances in western Canada” June 24th but no mention of police carrying it in Atlantic Canada… hmmm
ht tp://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/gazette/were-dead
Also it is funny that the RCMP put out a news release two days ago that “In the coming days the RCMP will begin to distribute nasally-administered naloxone as an opioid antagonist to RCMP officers” but no mention that it is already in use in eastern Canada… hmmm
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2016/13/rcmp-releases-video-the-dangers-fentanyl
It has been available as a prescription to drug users but just recently each province has moved to allow Naloxone to be available without prescription which has prompted the move by the RCMP and other first responders like Fire Departments.
Nice try at a diversion by the way and insult my intelligence any way you want to, won’t affect my researching comments and calling BS what it is.
Have to repost – accidental hyperlink left in post
You state “In my opinion, ALL first responders should be trained in administering these overdose kits” and in fact they are being trained and in some areas soon will be packing.
Funny how there are no news stories of any police in the Atlantic provinces packing the stuff. I also notice you don’t show any “proof” all the police in Atlantic Canada carry naloxone already except your statement.
It is quite funny that the RCMP put out a news release stating “Naloxone is becoming a commonplace item aboard ambulances in western Canada” June 24th but no mention of police carrying it in Atlantic Canada… hmmm
ht tp://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/gazette/were-dead
Also it is funny that the RCMP put out a news release two days ago that “In the coming days the RCMP will begin to distribute nasally-administered naloxone as an opioid antagonist to RCMP officers” but no mention that it is already in use in eastern Canada… hmmm
ht tp://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2016/13/rcmp-releases-video-the-dangers-fentanyl
It has been available as a prescription to drug users but just recently each province has moved to allow Naloxone to be available without prescription which has prompted the move by the RCMP and other first responders like Fire Departments.
Nice try at a diversion by the way and insult my intelligence any way you want to, won’t affect my researching comments and calling BS what it is.
Really? I’m tired of spending all these resources and tax dollars on druggies who can’t contain themselves and stick anything in their body. I’d rather see the money, and time, invested on all the good kids out there who need things like education, sports programs, medical care etc. Why do I care about Fentanyl , when there isn’t free epi-pens being handed out in the elementary schools? Oh right, we only care about ‘at risk’ and the ‘troubled’ people in society, and ask all the hard working , law abiding taxpayers to cough it up.
I’m saving my cares for the good people in society now. If you are dumb enough to keep abusing in this day and age, good luck to you
The level of ignorance about Fentanyl on this site is amazing. There seems to be an entrenched single-minded notion that hard core drug users are the ones overdosing on Fentanyl… WRONG!!!
There are people overdosing on this drug simply by handling it with their bare hands, Fentanyl in its purest form the size of two (2) grains (not grams, but grains) of salt can trigger an overdose in an adult!
They did testing in the Lower Main Land at one injection clinic where they found over 80% of all drugs tested contained some amount of Fentanyl. Recreational drug users are most ask risk of overdosing, NOT the hard core drug users!
When the rest of Canada is referring to the Fentanyl overdoses in BC as a “crisis” maybe we should start thinking about it being a problem??? Yeesh!!!
Oh I forgot to state my sources: “Chemical companies in China custom-design variants of pharmaceutical-grade fentanyl by tweaking a molecule ever so slightly. A few hundred micrograms – the weight of a single grain of salt – are enough to trigger heroin-like bliss. But the line between euphoria and fatal overdose is frighteningly thin: An amount the size of two grains of salt can kill a healthy adult.”
.theglobeandmail.com/news/investigations/a-killer-high-how-canada-got-addicted-tofentanyl/article29570025/
There are multiple news sources that are referring to the Fentanyl overdoses in BC being “a crisis”. Do your homework and look them up!
You know what else can kill you? Gasoline, Diesel, Painkillers, Bleach… we’ve just learned not to drink it.
Right on! Yet they keep putting it into their bodies because they are addicts! The Vancouver FD reports that they had to save one addicts life three times in one (!) day, bringing him back from the brink!
7000 Grains = 1 Pound, what a Killer Drug if one or two Grains can kill you.
Ummm… I am not a teacher, but I think I can explain this. Do you know what a “mite” is? If not, a mite is a tiny insect (bug) about half the size of a flea.
This is a picture of one hair (folicile) off of a mite, compared to the size of one grain of table salt.
ht tp://waynesword.palomar.edu/images2/desmodex1d.jpg
In other words we are talking about a size (not weight) smaller than a grain of sand. Not a huge amount to overdose on, when you consider the size, not weight, of two grains of table salt. In its purest form that is how deadly Fentanyl is.
Yeah, I’m sure they are handing out pure Fentanyl like tic tacs …
Go take a walk through children’s hospital, or pediatrics here in PG, then tell me who I should feel bad for. Drug abusers, or innocent little kids who didn’t have a choice?
Sorry, no more tears for certain factions of society.
Sounds like a good reason to stay away from drugs, period!
It seems that the ones who are most concerned about fentanyl are maybe the people who dabble in drugs a little bit?
Maybe, maybe not but maybe?
There will always be those who adopt a ‘holier than thou’ attitude, this lack of compassion towards other people does alarm me.
I can only guess that no one you love has ever had an addiction,
or god forbid, died from an overdose.
metalman.
Actually you are wrong, I have lost a loved one to drugs. I have lost loved ones to drunk driving as well. Guess that shoots your theory in the toilet.
Wake up metalman, these are the regulars who frequent this site, compassion is not in their nature. High child poverty rate compared to the rest of Canada in this province, and this city, who cares? Homeless people, who cares? Murdered and missing women, who cares? Spending money on finding a drowning victim’s body, who cares about family closure if it means saving man hour resource money.
Mental health illness, such as PTSD syndrome in our war veterans, even when it gets too close to home with the Greg Matters shooting tragedy… who cares? So you expect from these same people some compassion about addictions and overdose deaths… good luck with that metalman!
Members of our society inherit not only the rights that our society affords them, but also the expected obligations towards this society!
In other words, there are instances and circumstances where it is clear that society has failed, but as far as the topic of drug addiction is concerned, it is obvious that drug addicts have failed society.
Comments which lack compassion are due to frustration with those who do not change their habits and begin to live up to the obligations that make our society function safely for everyone.
Heard a program on CBC. They interviewed an addict undergoing treatment and he stated that if they hear of someone dying of an overdose it makes them want to find the dealer as they want some of the drug. Someone dying of an overdose makes the dealer’s drug more sought out and not to be avoided as most people would think. Scary situation out there.
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