Time for a change in overdose prevention

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/10/2023 (941 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The orange wave that swept through Manitoba last week presents an opportunity to turn the tide on the toxic drug crisis gripping the province — provided the incoming New Democrats follow through with promises made on the campaign trail.

According to data released last week, 44 people died of overdoses in May, making it the second-deadliest month for drug-related deaths in the last two years. While it’s unclear how the crisis has progressed since then — thanks to chronically delayed reporting by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner — the death toll is a reminder of the dire consequences of forgoing evidence-based harm reduction strategies for ideologically motivated policies.

Outgoing premier Heather Stefanson and her Progressive Conservative party have historically politicized addiction issues, treating drug use as an individual moral failing rather than a public health emergency causing hundreds of preventable deaths annually.

The rhetoric ramped up in the waning days of the campaign, with fear mongering advertisements in the Free Press incorrectly alleging NDP candidates would “give away hard drugs,” if elected.

During its reign, the PC party was unwavering in its disdain for supervised consumption sites while doing little to expand or improve access to addiction treatment.

Free Press investigations found the government had cherry-picked research to support its opposition to such sites and that an MLA had lied about touring a safe injection centre in British Columbia. The party attempted to complicate grassroots addiction services, such as Sunshine House’s federally funded mobile overdose prevention site, through licensing requirements.

After years of inaction and contempt, a modicum of governmental compassion for drug users would be a vast improvement.

The NDP has promised to do more.

In response to a Free Press campaign survey about the province’s drug crisis, the party committed to opening at least one supervised consumption site, implementing evidence-based harm reduction policies, improving mental health services for people experiencing homelessness and releasing overdose data in a timely manner.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Head Start

Weekday Mornings

A quick glance at the news for the upcoming day.

Sign up for Head Start

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Manitoba is currently the only province not sharing regular overdose data with the Public Health Agency of Canada, which tracks opioid and stimulant deaths across the country. The office of the medical examiner has stated it chooses not to share preliminary data from toxicology reports for the sake of accuracy.

That approach, as well as the office’s reliance on paper files, has created a five-month information delay that obscures the scope of the crisis. A modernized system could improve resource allocation and save lives.

Last year, 418 Manitobans died of drug-related overdoses — a record high. Climbing overdose rates are due to increased toxicity of the province’s illicit drug supply, with fentanyl and, more recently, veterinary-grade tranquilizers making their way into street drugs. A safer supply model — which enables health-care providers to prescribe safer pharmaceutical opioids to drug users — could be another effective approach to overdose prevention.

Improving access to naloxone kits and community training also needs to be a top priority. The impact of the overdose reversal drug can be seen at the civic level. Last year, city staff reversed at least six overdoses at libraries and rec centres. Naloxone should be widely available across Manitoba, especially in rural areas, where emergency services are fewer and farther between.

While the new provincial government is coming into power during a deadly drug crisis, there are many opportunities to improve the situation. Let’s hope the party’s promises are more than political pandering. Lives are on the line.