Fentanyl Crisis Anniversary
Prince George, B.C.- Today marks one year since Provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall declared a public health emergency because of the epidemic of opioid related overdoses in B.C.
Since that declaration was made, a further 919 people died from an overdose.
Since the declaration of a public health emergency, awareness campaigns were launched, and volunteers, family members, front-line emergency responders, health-care personnel and law enforcement officials responded to and reversed thousands overdoses and saved hundreds of lives.
“While the continued toll is discouraging, we must also acknowledge that because of these actions, hundreds of people are alive and hundreds more are now in treatment and recovery who would not be were it not for these interventions.” says Provincial Health Officer Dr. Perry Kendall.
Dr. Kendall says the battle is no where near over “As the health system partners with those in public safety, there is broad recognition that we cannot arrest our way out of this situation – but neither is it likely we can treat our way out of it. The introduction of highly potent synthetic opioids has been the game-changer in B.C., and I don’t think we are going to be able to keep these out. Although it has yet to be verified, we believe that the unprecedented surge in deaths in November, December and January is attributable to the more widespread arrival of carfentanil here in our province.”
He says efforts must continue on a number of fronts including establishing supervised injection sites, expanding access to opioid assisted treatments, expanding access to injectables like hydromorphone for the small proportion of people for whom other therapies do not work, and increasing coordination and linkages with the recovery community.”
“I think that unfortunately, we still have a long road ahead, but I believe that we have the means, the motivation and the compassion to turn this situation around.”
Comments
Oh goody, tough love gone bad! Sorry but no sympathy from this area. Very unfortunate, but there are options no matter what people say. They sunk enough money into this and the results are sketchy at best. Take the money they wasted and put it into schooling education on responsibilities and consequences of drug use, not that it has been taught before. I have no doubt I will receive some flack, but I got big shoulders!
An anniversary for drug abusers, a celebration.. oh wow. Libs have really went and outdone themselves this year. How about drawing attention to the paediatric ward, something that people can appreciate? Nah, Fentanyl is just so much sexier than helping sick kids in the community, that haven’t abused their bodies.
Good write up and very true! Well said Leroy! Yea, the kids have no choice, druggies do! And then they snivel like heck if money isn’t doled out to them time and time again!
I don’t see the word “celebration” anywhere, do you?
Leroyjenkins posted “that haven’t abused their bodies”
Sure – lets put all of our resources to kids. Heart attack or stroke? You’re out if you eat any fast food and don’t run marathons. Cancer? If you smoke you’re done too. Car crash? Probably driving too fast or distracted so nothing for you either. Lets stop caring for anything that is self caused, then there will be lots of money for sick children. Or do you only have a problem with drug users?
Cancer, sometimes es you haven’t a choice as it is not discrimmminating, heart attack, stroke, that can be hereditary along with cancer. Kids? They are the future or our country. Doing drugs is an OPTION a lot of the time, so you have plenty of time to make a choice. Druggies are not the future, and YES put the majority of the money towards kids and enough of the siphoning to people that want a kick!
The presumption is the government has unlimited funds to do unlimited things, and there are people to do those things.
The teacher’s court victory showed us differently. Suddenly, the cash was there, the worker’s weren’t.
So, if suddenly, cash is there for drug addicts, are the people with the skills to treat them, probably not.
And then, for everyone who is redirected from one field to another, some other place suddenly finds itself in a shortfall of skilled workers.
My point being awkwardly made, is money can’t solve everything, the government doesn’t have unlimited money, and if resources are to be expended, they should go first priority to those who aren’t the authors of their own misfortune – such as children, and the elderly, then, if there’s something left over, we can look at it. But as BH is found of pointing out, we have the highest child poverty rate in Canada, maybe the money should go there.
how about Canada change the law of the land. Give the Judges and RCMP the power to deal with the drug dealers. Make it so that these people that are caught illegally selling drugs be thrown in gaol, and throw away the keys. ….. OH our Prime Minister is not on that page, he is OK with the government selling pot. Well, there you go. I guess your gonna have to parent your own children.
And the selling of drugs will continue, it is all about money. Lets put the money into our kids and educate them. People have choices, change the laws and give our RCMP powers to deal with these drug pushers low life, they are killing people. What anniversary ? Our prime minister will soon legalize another drug to the general public. A generation of people with learning problems and dope heads. Is life so bad that many have to distort reality ?
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