Police ask province to fund nasal naloxone

Calgary police are hoping the province will ante up for the nasal version of drug designed to combat fentanyl overdoses.

A day after Alberta Associate Health Minister Brandy Payne announced a ministerial order that would allow first responders to use an injectable version of naloxone, which helps control the symptoms of fentanyl and other opioids, the city’s police force has asked the province to consider help cover the costs of the nasal variant, which is already in use.

“The Calgary Police Service is grateful for the province’s efforts to tackle this opioid public health crisis,” said spokesman Mike Nunn.

“However, the CPS will be requesting the provincial government extend the program to include nasal naloxone as well as the injectable format. Nasal naloxone reduces the risk of improper use both for police members and the public. It also eliminates the possibility of accidental exposure by contaminated needles.”

Calgary’s force is already in the process of rolling out 250 nasal naloxone kits to officers and looking to acquire more, with no plans to use the injectable version.

And police brass are hoping the province will help defray the costs of the specialized delivery system, which first saw use by Vancouver cops.

Laura Ehrkamp, spokesman for Alberta Health, said the ministerial order announced Tuesday is designed to quickly expand the arsenal of first responders to deal with a fentanyl epidemic that last year claimed 343 lives across the province.

“Right now, given the fact that we want to see this happen as quickly as possible, there are no plans for nasal naloxone,” she said.

Ehrkamp said the province is providing training for any public emergency agencies looking to take advantage of injectable naloxone, and will review whether it will provide any future support for the nasal variant.

Earlier this month, Calgary city council heard that since firefighters were equipped with naloxone in December, crews have had to administer the medication to patients 45 times in a little over a month.