The City of Ottawa and overdose prevention partners are warning residents of an increase in suspected overdose-related deaths.
Ottawa police and paramedics have responded to at least 22 calls in the past week for suspected overdoses, including five cases where the individual died.
Rob Boyd, director of the Oasis program at Sandy Hill Community Health Center, says it’s not just a downtown problem.
“I think it’s important to keep in mind that this is a city-wide problem, not just something that’s happening in the inner city,” he told CTV News Ottawa. “We know there has been a significant increase in the number of overdose deaths for people who are homeless in Ontario over the past few years, but there continues to be a large number of people who live in private housing and overdose.”
Wendy Muckle, co-founder and CEO of Ottawa Inner City Health, says the problem likely has to do with local drug supply.
“This is usually attributed to drug supply only. As I’m sure you understand, this is an illegal drug supply that is probably produced locally and the quality of the drugs is not good because the concentration is probably too high,” she says. “Illicit fentanyl seems to be the culprit, and it seems to be in everything.”
Boyd says the situation requires a broad shift in thinking.
“We need to look at the regulatory framework under which we do this, we need to advance decriminalization strategies across the federal government, we need to look at increased investment in harm reduction and treatment, we need to look at new types of treatment and then we need to invest in campaigns against stigma everywhere,” he said.
The Ottawa Overdose Prevention and Response Task Force is reminding people who use drugs to take precautions.
- Never use alone – if you overdose when you are alone, there will be no one to help you. If using with someone else, do not use at the same time.
- Do not mix medications – Mixing with other medications puts you at a higher risk of overdose.
- Slow – The quality of illegal drugs is unpredictable. Fentanyl can be cut (mixed) into both opioid and non-opioid drugs such as cocaine, heroin, crack, or pills made to look like other prescriptions (such as “oxycodone”) or other pills, including ecstasy/MDMA. All can be reduced with fentanyl or carfentanil.
- Carry Naloxone – Naloxone is a medication that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Naloxone kits are available for free in Ontario. Please visit StopOverdoseOttawa.ca to find out how to get a naloxone kit.
- Know your tolerance – Your risk of overdose increases if you are a new user or have not used for more than three days.
- If you decide to use – Consider visiting one of the four Controlled Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) locations in Ottawa.
- Consumption and treatment under supervision
- If using alone – tell someone before using. Have a safety plan, leave the door unlocked and have someone come check on you. You can also call the National Overdose Prevention Hotline at 1-888-688-NORS (6677) or connect with an anonymous virtual harm reduction supporter through the Brave app.
Residents are also encouraged to know the signs of an opiate overdose.
- Breathing will be slow or absent
- Lips and nails are blue
- The face does not move
- One can suffocate
- A person may make gurgling or snoring sounds
- The face cannot be awakened
- Skin is cold and clammy
- Pupils are small (also known as punctate)
If you suspect someone has overdosed, call 9-1-1 immediately. Overdose is always a medical emergency. There are also limited legal protections for drug users and bystanders who call 911 during an overdose.
The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act protects people who have overdosed or who are with someone who has overdosed from:
Charges of possession of drugs under section 4(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and breach of conditions relating to simple possession of drugs in:
- advance release
- probation orders
- conditional sentences
- parole
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