Overdose victims remembered
Police say their focus is on saving lives, not laying drug charges when someone overdoses
Flags were lowered to half-mast Wednesday morning at the Peterborough Police headquarters on Water Street to mark International Overdose Awareness Day.
The Aug. 31 global event was established to commemorate people who have died due to overdoses related to alcohol and other drugs, police said.
The day also aims to raise awareness about overdoses, police said, and reduce the unnecessary stigma too often associated with drugs and drug-related deaths.
“The Peterborough Police Service is focused on saving lives and not laying drug related charges when someone has overdosed,” Chief Murray Rodd stated in a release.
“Police will often be required to attend scenes of an overdose, but they will be focusing on ensuring the safety of all those present and helping to gather information to support the appropriate medical treatment for the person who has overdosed.”
Officers were joined by community partners and officers from other emergency services gather for the ceremonial lowering of the flags outside the Water St. police station at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.
“Wearing silver on Aug. 31 honours the thousands of lives lost to overdoses, which are preventable tragedies, while also acknowledging and supporting the mourning process of those friends and family members left behind,” stated Deanna VandenBroek, health promoter with the Substance Misuse Prevention Program at Peterborough Public Health.
The flags were lowered to halfmast to honour the lives lost and family and friends of those affected overdose deaths, police said.
“International Overdose Awareness Day serves as a reminder for us all about the importance and impact of focusing on prevention education, services and programs to address the stigma and other harms associated with overdose and substance use. This is about saving lives and reducing non-fatal overdoses as well as being socially and fiscally responsible,” stated Peter Williams of city police.
The Peterborough Overdose Prevention Program is now distributing naloxone, a lifes-aving antidote to an opioid overdose, to those at significant risk of overdose. Naloxone distribution and the education and training that goes with it has been proven to save lives and prevent overdoses. This program, a collaboration through the Peterborough Drug Strategy, includes partners PARN, Peterborough Public Health and Fourcast.
Opioids are pain relieving drugs and include both prescription medications such as oxycodone and fentanyl, and illegal formulations such as heroin. The harms associated with these drugs are a significant public health and patient safety issue. Worldwide, 69,000 people die from opioid overdose each year. More than 5,000 Ontarians have unintentionally lost their lives due to opioid overdose since the year 2000. On top of this, non-fatal opioid overdoses have been estimated to be 20 to 25 times the number of deaths. Accidental overdose is the third leading cause of unintentional death in Ontario - a figure that far surpasses deaths due to traffic fatalities.
Peterborough has experienced an increasing rate of opioid related emergency department visits for the last decade (from a rate of 47 per 100,000 population in 2006 to 64.5 per 100,000 population in 2013), which is consistently higher compared to Ontario’s rates. As well, Peterborough ranks sixth highest in opioid prescribing in the province.
“Eliminating stigma is vitally important as stigma is often the reason people don’t seek help. Reducing stigma and providing services that welcomes and responds to the needs of all clients, should be the service standard for all providers,” stated Donna Rogers of Fourcast.
Other partners who work to reach people who may not be connected to a doctor or other services include PARN, the VON 360 clinic and The Warming Room.
“Overdose Awareness Day is one of those times we reflect on the importance of our collaborations with local agencies and community groups that connect people to needed health services, housing supports, and harm reduction programs, as well as addressing stigma and discrimination by fostering meaningful relationships among people from all walks of life,” stated Katelyn James, the program co-ordinator from the Warming Room.