911 overdose calls break B.C. records, users 'going down everywhere'

[inanna]

Posted: Nov 26, 2016 1:36 PM PT

Bicycle paramedics armed with naloxone combing alleys at epicentre of battle to save lives

One of the record-breaking 494 overdose calls to 911 this week in Metro Vancouver was for Kelli Lubbers. 

Lubbers, who's been using drugs for 12 years, says it "blew her mind" when half her usual dose of what she thought was heroin almost killed her.

"It's crazy. It's ridiculous. Everybody is dropping like flies," said the 38-year-old regular on the Downtown Eastside.

<snip>

On Friday, B.C.'s health minister pledged $5 million in funding to help first responders address the worsening situation.

Paramedics on bicycles are outfitted with the life-saving gear an ambulance carries and are now responding overdoses, as they can often get there quicker than ambulances. There is a second group of volunteers — called Spikes on Bikes — equipped with life-saving naloxone kits.

...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-overdose-drugs-fentanyl-emergency-1.3869423?cmp=rss

[Warpy]

1. Fentanyl and sufentanil are the most likely culprits

It's getting to the point that naloxone nasal sprays are going to have to be OTC. Otherwise, the carnage will continue.

Naloxone spray will allow people to get to the hospital. They'll most likely need to be on a drip until the drug is out of their systems.

This is a direct result of the war on drugs. Were the stuff legal, it would be properly labeled and in predictable dosages.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Walgreens and CVS are selling naloxone OTC now.

https://www.google.com/search?client=ubuntu&channel=fs&q=naloxone+over+the+counter&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Also: Elephant sedative carfentanil detected on Vancouver streets for first time

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/elephant-sedative-carfentanil-detected-on-vancouver-streets-for-first-time-1.3862705

I had heard about this a few months ago.

It is very likely here in US, also.

[EllieBC]

4. That's terrifying!

These poor people...as if fighting the disease of addiction wasn't hard enough.

[inanna]

5. carfentanil

It doesn't get much scarier than that.