Ontario distributes rescue shot to counter opioid overdoses

By Lindsey Cooke

BELLEVILLE – Ontario is providing life-saving naloxone to police and fire department across the province to fight the rise of opioid-related deaths.

Naloxone, also known as a rescue shot, can temporarily reverse an opioid overdose. An Ontario government press release Thursday announced that Naloxone will be offered to 61 police services across the province. The kits will also be made available to 447 fire departments provincewide to prevent overdoses. The kits are currently available free of charge at participating pharmacies and from eligible community and health organizations.

There were 336 opioid-related deaths in Ontario from May to July 2017, compared with 201 during the same time period in 2016; that represents a 68-per-cent increase. From July to September 2017, there were 2,449 emergency department visits related to opioid overdoses, compared with 1,896 in the three months prior, representing a 29-per-cent increase.

Ontario is investing $222 million towards fighting he opioid crisis. This includes expanding harm reduction services, hiring more frontline staff and improving access to addictions support across the province.