Winnipeg sees 23 drug overdoses across three days, advocates urge caution
Posted May 1, 2022 12:57 pm.
Advocates in Winnipeg are sounding the alarm after almost two dozen overdoses were reported over three days last week and into the weekend, saying the situation around the city’s toxic drug supply needs to be addressed.
“It’s scary out for people right now and it’s a really, really dangerous circumstance for folks right now,” said Jonny Mexico with the Manitoba Harm Reduction Network (MHRN).
“What we’re seeing here is the result of ongoing problems, like we’ve always had a toxic drug supply, a poison drug supply, and it’s being amplified.”
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Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service data shows on Thursday and Friday, there were a total of 14 overdoses, with the MHRN saying early data shows at least another nine overdoses recorded as of Saturday afternoon.
“The poison supply is really intense,” added Mexico. “I really do wish that we had drug testing. That we had supervised consumption sites. That we had the ability to have safe supply for folks, so these preventable deaths could absolutely be prevented.”
As there’s no public site where people can test their substances, advocates say it’s hard to pin down whether or not the overdoses are because of a specific batch, or the presence of a specific substance.
This week, more people will be trained on how to use naloxone, which can help save someone who’s overdosed.
“People have contacted us saying: ‘hey we’re concerned about our community members, our friends, our family,’” said Mexico. “So they’ve reached out, so we’re booking naloxone training and getting naloxone into the hands of people that need it.”
The spike in overdoses has prompted a warning from Manitoba’s Shared Health harm reduction agency Street Connections earlier this week. The provincial agency is cautioning people to use with a friend, carry naloxone, and to call 911 in case of emergency.
