In response to the growing number of opioid overdoses in Manitoba the provincial government has taken to social media with an awareness campaign. The new campaign’s focus is on prevention and aims to create awareness so that everyone understands that illicit use of fentanyl and other opioids can have devastating impacts.
Don’t let your night end here. DYK Fentanyl is being found in many common illicit drugs? https://t.co/VyzG9mvH0l pic.twitter.com/N27qs8FYUH
— Manitoba Government (@MBGov) November 25, 2016
Speaking to students at a Winnipeg high school today and a rural high school in Steinbach in the afternoon, Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Kelvin Goertzen said that a significant increase in fentanyl-related overdoses has been observed in the past few years, with this number expected to increase again in 2016.
Fentanyl doesn’t care who it kills. Whether it’s your first time or you’ve used before, Fentanyl can take your life. https://t.co/W5P6iqNNqh pic.twitter.com/nC7Zo8BAEk
— Manitoba Government (@MBGov) November 25, 2016
“Fentanyl and other dangerous opioids are showing up in many drugs in our province, killing people of all ages and many backgrounds and putting non-users, including children, at risk,” said Goertzen. “This growing trend is of great concern and we recognize that we must expand our efforts to ensure that everyone, user or not, is aware that these drugs kill.”
The minister said the new social media awareness campaign, funded through the Federal Proceeds of Crime Fund, is needed to educate people about the dangers posed by these drugs to both users and non-users and their presence in common recreational illicit drugs.
Don’t let your night end here. DYK Fentanyl is being found in many common illicit drugs? https://t.co/kqnZQlIOg8 pic.twitter.com/169Oh68SMj
— Manitoba Government (@MBGov) November 25, 2016
In addition to the social media campaign, public health officials continue to look at both immediate and long-term actions needed to prevent and respond to overdoses in Manitoba.
Manitoba is developing a program to distribute naloxone, the drug used to reverse the effects of opioids, to high-risk injection users across the province.
The RCMP in Manitoba have given all frontline officers naloxone nasal spray kits so that they can protect the public and themselves in cases of suspected opioid exposure.
On Thursday the RCMP announced that they had reached an agreement with China to reduce the importation of opioids in to Canada from that country.
Manitoba is seeking legislation from the federal government to restrict the sale of pill presses in Canada.
-News4 Staff-
