The VPD stated that according to service providers, there were 10 more overdoses during the day.
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Fentanyl pills are shown in an undated police handout photo. “Fentanyl is way cheaper and 100 times stronger than heroin”, he said.
The bulletin says fentanyl-involved deaths have increased markedly in B.C., Alberta, Quebec and Ontario, but that its own count may still be an underestimate.
Pink-coloured heroin laced with fentanyl is being blamed for 16 overdoses in Vancouver over the weekend, and health officials and police are bracing for further emergency responses to a problem they feel is reaching near-epidemic proportions. In 2014, changes were made so intermediate care paramedics and primary care paramedics trained to administer the drug can now give it intravenously to anyone they suspect is overdosing on Fentanyl.
The recent deaths of a young North Vancouver couple and Burnaby teenager brought attention to drug lacing and fentanyl showing up in recreational drugs. Seventeen-year-old Jack Bodie died in a suspected fentanyl overdose after allegedly ingesting an Oxycondone-type pill, known as a “fake 80’s”. On August 5th, Kindersley RCMP warned the public about Fentanyl pills(counterfeit Oxycontin) they believe were responsible for two deaths in a one month period. “It is in the 80-per-cent range that there is probably fentanyl in it”, he said.
Court documents show the B.C. Civil Forfeiture Office is now in court trying to seize $3 million in assets connected to several fentanyl cases.
Henry added the only way to test for fentanyl is with sophisticated lab equipment, so quick drug testing kits are useless.
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It’s necessary to nonetheless name 9-1-1 after giving naloxone.
