Scenes from an overdose rally, calling for a safe drug supply to replace the tainted supply handed out on the streets. (Spencer Sterritt/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Spencer Sterritt

unprecedented

Vancouver Island overdose advisory extended for second time

May 28, 2020 | 2:03 PM

NANAIMO — Island Health officials are seeing an “unprecedented” response to an overdose advisory but it’s not the one they’d hoped.

Medical health officer Dr. Paul Hasselback told NanaimoNewsNOW substance users seem to be taking the advisory seriously but the number of fatal overdoses continues to increase.

The advisory, first issued Vancouver Island-wide on May 11, has now been extended twice and will be reconsidered in early June.

“We’re looking at evidence suggesting it’s in part associated with how they’re using the substances and…with the substances being distributed.”

Hasselback said many of the overdose events on the Island and across B.C. are to do with smoking substances and not injecting them, which is unusual.

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He said medical health officers are grappling with numerous good theories about why the already tainted drug supply has become more fatal.

“(It) may be an impact as a result of restrictions at the border. There may be other reasons we’re seeing this, including behavioral changes associated with staying home, people using substances as a way of filling time.”

Overdose fatalities across B.C. have skyrocketed since the COVID-19 pandemic began altering day-to-day life.

In March, 113 people lost their lives, a devastating number which increased to 117 in April.

The BC Coroners Service said this is the first time since late 2018 the province suffered more than 100 illicit drug toxicity deaths in back-to-back months.

3.9 people died a day due to illicit substances in April.

One additional person fatally overdosed in Nanaimo in April, bringing 2020’s death toll to nine in Nanaimo and 60 across Vancouver Island.

A vast majority of deaths occurred when substance users were alone, as it has been throughout much of the overdose crisis.

Hasselback said a new app provided to substance users will hopefully help reverse the trend of deaths while alone.

The Lifeguard app, made available on the Island roughly two weeks ago, is activated by the substance user before they consume their drugs. An alarm goes off after 50 seconds, growing louder if the user doesn’t turn it off.

After 75 seconds, an alert goes straight to 911 warning of a potential overdose.

Hasselback said the app was well-received by those who need it during the rollout across Vancouver Island.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit