By Sheena Roszell

Fentanyl stats

23 fentanyl-related deaths in GP last year, 746 province-wide

Mar 27, 2019 | 12:07 PM

The latest numbers from Alberta Health show that 23 people died in Grande Prairie from fentanyl related overdoses in 2018. That number is down from 27 deaths in 2017 and up considerably from 10 fatal overdoses in 2016.

Grande Prairie has the fourth most deaths amongst Alberta’s seven biggest cities behind Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer. The death rate based on population is second behind Red Deer.

In the North Zone last year, there were 42 fentanyl related deaths and province-wide, 746 people died.

According to the latest Alberta Opioid Response Surveillance Report, an average of two people died every day in Alberta from apparent opioid overdoses.

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In the province Emergency Medical Services responded to 4,206 opioid events last year, 164 of those were in Grande Prairie.

“Probably within the last three to five years it’s become predominant, probably one of our most common calls that we go on. Before that we would go on an overdose call maybe once every six months, maybe a year, and now sometimes it’s once a day, twice a day per station. It’s become quite a crisis, quite an epidemic, quite a problem.” _{Lee Clandinin, Captain GPFD – Grande Prairie Opioid Crisis, Critical Condition video.}

The city launched a series of videos and the website everyoneisimpacted.com earlier this year to raise awareness and help put people in touch with the resources they may need.

One resource in Grande Prairie is the mobile consumption site, which has been active in the community and saving lives since March 11.

“We are seeing on average about 20 individuals per day coming in and using. It’s a slow uptake, because it takes a while to create the culture around it but, we have reversed eight overdoses so far and everything seems to be going kind of according to plan,” said Melissa Byers, Executive Director with HIV North.

Byers says Naloxone kits and Naloxone training can save lives and it’s important those who need kits can access them.

“I think a majority of those individuals that died last year probably died in a hotel room, or their own private residence or with friends. But we are finding that as long as we are arming people with Naloxone kits, and they’re using with a friend and in safer ways, like not using alone, and using less, they are protecting themselves, but we have to spread that message out to the larger community,” _{Melissa Byers, HIV North Executive Director.}

Opioid overdose deaths are down in Grande Prairie compared to 2017 numbers and Byers attributes that to awareness about Naloxone.

“Currently every single pharmacy is handing out Naloxone kits, ACT Medical, AHS, and we are. We are in the community and we are hitting it hard,” she said.

Last year, their shelter responded to 101 overdoses and had zero fatalities.

The mobile consumption site will continue to be parked near the Rotary House and Byers says the site is about more than being a safe-sterile space to use drugs, it’s also about getting people the help they need, like housing or treatment supports.

“We’re seeing people come into this (opioid using) world younger and younger, so if we can provide the supports and get them before they get entrenched in this lifestyle, we see that as a huge return in investment.”

EverythingGP tour of the mobile consumption site: