Newfoundland and Labrador's top pathologist likens using drugs to playing Russian roulette

There has been a spike of suspected drug-related deaths in Newfoundland and Labrador in the past week, and the province's top medical examiner says it's part of a trend of more deaths linked to drug use.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary says there werefive sudden deaths over the last week on the northeast Avalon Peninsula and in Labrador, prompting advocates to send out warnings about a potentially dangerous supply of drugs.

"It's very tragic because we are dealing with individuals in their prime. From their 20s to early 40s. And yes, we are quite confident these are drug-related deaths," Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Nash Denic told CBC News.

His office autopsied the five individuals, which is standard to determine if there were underlying conditions, he said. At the scenes where they died, he said, there was drug paraphernalia, including needles and pills.

The total number of last year'sdeaths due to drugs aren't available yet, Denic said, as his office iswaiting for test results to come back, butthe numbers are going up.

There were 37 cases of accidental drug deaths in 2022, he said, but in 2023 there were at least57 cases, a number he said will probably go up when some more test results come back. In January there were two drug-related deaths, he said, and there have already been nine in February.

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Denic said the preliminary investigation of the five individuals shows that cocaine, fentanyl or a combination of the two may have been involved. However, he said it will take six to eight weeks for the toxicology reports to get back from a forensic lab in the U.S.

Warnings for young people

Denic likened drug use to Russian roulette.

"You're putting the bullet in the chamber and you're just waiting [to see] whether you're going to be lucky. But the luck, eventually, is going to run out."

The younger people who died recently likely hadn't been long-term drug users for years, he said, adding people start drug use because of culture, peer pressure and experimentation but don't know enoughabout the negative effects of drug use.

"They should be scared of starting the drugs now, especially the drugs that you cannot trust because they are coming from the market, you cannot trust," said Denic, who added even a small amount an be lethal, and long-term users can have "mental burdens" as well as problems with their general health, like heart disease.

"We really have to tell them the true story, to scare them off," he said.

Dangers of recreational use

Jeff Bourne, executive director of U-Turn Addiction Recovery in Carbonear, said the spike in deaths isn't a surprise and there have been similar surges elsewhere in Canada, including onein Nova Scotia fourmonths ago.

Typically when there'smedia coverage of drug-related deaths, Bourne said, more people reach out to his organization to get naloxone kits, which can reverse an overdose.

"We do get an influx of people, family members, loved ones, that [reach] out to get a free naloxone kit, which is great."

AIDS Committee of Newfoundland and Labrador executive director Gerard Yetman said his organization has seen an increase in requests for drug testing strips, which are used to detect certain unwanted drugs like fentanyl.

In the last two years the demand for safe works access program or SWAP services has tripled, he said.

"We are estimating that approximately anywhere to 6,000 to 7,000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are accessing the SWAP supplies," saidYetman.

WATCH | Dr. Nash Denic on what young people should know:

Chief medical examiner says drug-related deaths on the rise, and young people are especially at risk

8 months ago

Duration 5:33

Police are warning about five recent deaths that are suspected to be drug-related. Dr. Nash Denic tells Here & Nows Carolyn Stokes about these deaths, and his warning to young people.

There are three SWAP sites in N.L. inCorner Brook, Clarenville and St John's and 60 satellites through community organizations, pharmacies and what he called "natural helpers" people whoget supplies for people who are afraid to do it for themselves.

Yetman said there are dangers associated with the "weekend warrior" use of drugs someone who isn't a regular user and might overindulge from time to time.

"Getting that message out there to people who are using drugs is to go slow. And use small. Because you don't have the tolerance level. If you're a weekend warrior, you certainly haven't built up your tolerance to these toxic drugs that are out there right now."

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