A tragic weekend in Toronto marked by an alarmingly high number of overdose incidents serves as a reminder that potentially life-saving Naloxone kits are available throughout the province.
Toronto police issued a public safety alert after more than 20 reported overdose incidents and four deaths related to overdose occurred between Thursday and Sunday.
According to the Canadian Press, investigators suspect the deaths may be linked to heroin laced with fentanyl. Fentanyl is a type of opioid that can be 50-80 times stronger than morphine. Only 2 mg of the substance can be fatal.
As part of Ontario’s Strategy to Prevent Opioid Addiction and Overdose, Naloxone is now available free of charge at pharmacies and other organizations across the province. Naloxone is a life-saving drug that can reverse an opioid overdose.
CMHA Ontario and Addictions and Mental Health Ontario developed a joint response to the proposed Strategy. Read our response on our website.
For more information on participating pharmacies and organizations that distribute Naloxone free of charge, visit this page on the Ontario website.