Naloxone Training Saves Lives, Ends Stigma

PRINCE GEORGE- The opioid epidemic continues to grow in the province, as more than 800 people have died in the first half of 2018 due to an overdose. While those numbers have slightly gone down provincially since the same time period last year, it’s a different story locally. From January to July, 28 people died in Prince George from a drug overdose. That’s the highest it’s ever been. BC Ambulance says it’s been seeing an increased number of drug-related calls in recent years and many of those who are using are doing so behind closed doors. “Don’t use alone, have somebody there with you, so if anything does happen you have someone there with you that can call 911,” said North-Central manager, Tanya Rich.

That’s why more free naloxone training programs are popping up in the city. St John Ambulance is offering free programs that teach anyone who may come in contact with someone who is using drugs to use the life-saving drug. As the death toll continues to rise in the province, the organization is trying to normalize overdose response training. Part of the program educates participants about drug addiction and the other half teaches them how to administer naloxone. “It’s key that we take the overdose crisis, naloxone administration, and first aid and try to normalize that,” said spokesperson, Drew Binette,”you’ll see this happening throughout Canada with government agencies, reducing the stigma in opioid overdose because a lot of misunderstanding that opioid overdose deaths are occurring with those that are ‘junkies’, or homeless, or addicts, are not true.” Binette adds anyone can become dependant on opioids through an injury at work or a fentanyl patch to manage pain.