Teenager's death sparks new concerns about fentanyl in Saskatoon

AdriaBosshartdied of afentanyloverdose this past weekend, a day shy of her19thbirthday, multiple friends confirmed.

She'sthelatest young person to fall victim to the deadlyopioidin Saskatoon.

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She wasn't herself when she was using, a friend says. She wasn't the smiling, laughing 18-year-old. She wasn't the fun lovingaunty, sister and friend.

"I really hope that this was a wake-up call," said SarahSchlechte,who consideredBosshartlike a little sister.

"I know a lot of [young people]think that they are invincible; they thought it wouldn't happen to them. That's what they always say, that'It's not going to be me.' I'm hoping her death might save other lives."

Fentanyloverdose deaths down province-wide

Fentanyl deaths in this province are decreasing. There were six fentanyl overdose deaths in 2016 compared to 22 in 2015.

But those statistics are cold comfort for Bosshart's friends.

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Schlechte said the teenager had reached out for help, but what was offered was never enough to get her away from the pull of the highly addictive drug. Experts say the deadly opioid is up to 100 times more powerful than morphine.

"She just kept coming back. She continued to use it. It was her safety blanket,"Schlechte said.

Advocate says more overdose reporting needed

That's a cycle Kim Lamb knows too well.

Her 18-year-old son knew Bosshartand was himself addicted to fentanyl. He's currently enrolled in a methadone program.

Lamb said while the attention is focused elsewhere, people in this city need to know the fentanyl crisis is not over.

"We all know the numbers from B.C. because we read about it every week. We don't see that here, sopeople here think it's gone away ... It's not. It's still here," Lamb said.

Lamb believes the police should do more reporting on fentanyl overdoses even if they aren't fatal. That way, she said, more people would understand thatit's an ongoing problem that needs ongoing solutions.

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"I don't think the police are reporting these things enough. I would like to see every week them giving us stats on how many calls paramedics are doing for overdoses," Lamb said.

Earlier this week, Saskatoon police Supt. Dave Haye said while the fatal overdose numbers are down, peopleshouldn't become complacent.

"We still need to be vigilant. We still need to understand that it is a dangerous drug," Haye said.

'They all know what the drug is'

ColtonGreyeyesis another one ofBosshart'sfriends who described her as "one of the most caring people" he knows.

He said he didn't even know she was usingfentanyl.

Most young people know about the drug and how deadly it can be, he added.

"They all know what the drug is and what it does.It's up to them todecide whether to do it or not," he said in aFacebookmessage.