The Thunder Bay Drug Strategy and partners commemorated International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) with numerous activities dedicated to raising awareness of overdose and reducing the stigma of drug-related death. IOAD is a day to acknowledge the grief felt by families and friends of those who have died or suffered permanent injury because of an overdose. 

Nationally, there have been 15,393 apparent opioid-related deaths between January 2016 and December 2019. Each one of these deaths affects multiple other individuals, the harms of which can significantly impact communities. 

“Our community continues to be impacted by overdoses that are specifically opioid-related,” said Cynthia Olsen, Drug Strategy Coordinator. “In the last five years, we have lost 142 community members due to opioid poisoning, all of whom are someone’s family member or friend.” 

Thirty-five balloons with placards were on display at NorWest Community Health Centres at 525 Simpson Street, representing the number of people who died in Thunder Bay District due to opioids in 2019. An additional 107 balloons were displayed to demonstrate the mounting number of individuals in the community who have died over the past five years. The fountain at City Hall was also illuminated in purple lights as the international colour to commemorate IOAD. 

Opioids include a broad range of drugs related to morphine and are frequently prescribed to relieve pain. However, more and more frequently, drugs across Canada are contaminated with potent synthetic opioids leading to a toxic drug supply that is fueling the overdose epidemic. Opioid overdoses can be reversed with the administration of naloxone, which only works with opioids and has no effect on the body if they are not present. 

In addition to naloxone, there are treatment options available in the community including a supervised consumption site, outreach harm reduction services, the Rapid Access to Addiction Medicine Clinic, and withdrawal management services - all of which are in need of expansion.  

“While we have intervention services and long-term prevention initiatives in place, we need greater resources to do more as our community continues to struggle with the opioid crisis,” said Olsen. 

For more information about naloxone, contact Thunder Bay District Health Unit’s Harm Reduction Team, Superior Points at (807) 621-7861 or (807) 621-7862. Naloxone is also available at many pharmacies in Thunder Bay. Supervised consumption services are available at NorWest Community Health Centres Monday to Saturday from 10 am – 6 pm.

 

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 Contact: Cynthia Olsen, Coordinator – Thunder Bay Drug Strategy, 625-2942