Urgences-Sant grapples with rise in opioid overdoses - Action News
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Montreal

Urgences-Sant grapples with rise in opioid overdoses

"We are concerned about what's happening to our citizens here in Montreal and in the area," says spokesperson Stephan Gascon.

Community groups are asking province to put together plan to fight opioid addiction

Stephan Gascon, a spokesperson for Urgences-Sant, said opioid overdoses in Montreal were a cause for concern, but not a full-blown crisis. (CBC)

Working on the front lines, paramedics with Urgences-Santhave seen firsthand the growing problem of opioidoverdoses in Montreal.

"We are concerned about what's happening to our citizens herein Montrealand in the area," said StephanGascon, a spokesperson forUrgences-Sant.

There were 88 opioid overdoses on Urgences-Sant'sQuebec territory in the past three months,with 54 of them being in downtown and Montreal's Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighbourhood.

The overdoses occurred between Aug. 18 and Nov. 27.

Many of theoverdoses were linked tofenanyl, heroineor one of their derivatives.

Gasconsaid the rise in overdoses is a sign of increased awareness and reporting, not that the city is headed towards a crisis point.

He said what Montreal is seeing still doesn't come close to the kind of opioid crisis being felt in other parts of the country, like Vancouver.

Opioidaction plan needed, community group says

Urgences-Santhas used of the opioid antidote naloxone has doubledfrom April to September 2017,compared with that same period in 2016.

There have been 88 opioid overdoses on Urgences-Sant's Quebec territory in the past three months. (Rafferty Baker/CBC)

However, Cactus Montral, a community organization for the prevention of blood-borneand sexually transmitted infections, wants to see better access to naloxonein Quebec.

Its chairman, LouisLetellierde St-Just, said the province has bowed to pressure to make naloxoneavailable in pharmacies and wants to see police officers carry it next.

"We are stillwaitingfor a full plan for theopioidcrisis," said Letellierde St-Just.

Urgences-Sant added that most overdoses occurredFriday and Saturday, and that the group most affected is between 20 and 30 years old.

With files from Sudha Krishnan