A display of hearts representing lives lost to overdose was part of an event at Maffeo Sutton Park on Thursday Aug. 29 (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

TACKLING THE CRISIS

Fentanyl danger highlighted at annual overdose awareness event in Nanaimo

Aug 29, 2019 | 5:12 PM

NANAIMO — While progress saving lives is encouraging, the deadly strength of powerful drugs remains a big problem in Nanaimo.

International Overdose Awareness Day was recognized by various community groups who converged at Maffeo Sutton Park Thursday to share stories and resources on the ever-present overdose crisis. The actual day of awareness is Aug. 31.

Medical Health Officer Dr. Paul Hasselback told NanaimoNewsNOW the margins between safe use and an overdose can be razor thin, given the reality of powerful opiods.

“We almost don’t see heroin any longer, all we see is fentanyl as the main opioid. If it’s not mixed perfectly and tested, just a little bit more can result in a fatal overdose,” Dr. Hasselback said.

Fentanyl detection rates skyrocketed, and were linked to more than 90 per cent of fatal overdoses in Nanaimo since the start of 2017.

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11 overdose related deaths occurred in Nanaimo this year as of June, according to the BC Coroners Service.

That compares to 35 deaths last year in the Harbour City and a record 56 in 2017, the height of the opioid crisis.

Dr. Hasselback added overdose fatalities now outnumber motor vehicle crashes, suicides and homicides combined.

“It has lead to a reduction to our life expectancy in British Columbia, it is the leading cause of fatality for younger adults…these are all new things and not the world we were in five years ago.”

But with local and provincial overdose death numbers down sharply overall this year, some local groups see reason to be optimistic.

One of the many community groups at the event was New Leaf Outreach, a peer run drug user advocacy group that promotes legalized drug use and regulated safe supply.

“The current crisis is more than an overdose crisis, it’s a toxic drug supply crisis that’s causing those deaths,” Kevin Donaghy, executive director of the group told NanaimoNewsNOW.

He said events that see people gathering to promote safe drug use and form a critical difference-making message.

“We’re seeing that impact the number of overdoses in the city,” he said.

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