Men hospitalized after wave of overdoses in downtown Montreal say they are lucky to be alive

Two men who say they were hospitalized following a wave of overdoses in downtown Montreal Sunday believe they inhaled a drug from a poisoned supply, andthey feel lucky to be alive.

David Wabanonik-Conrad and Lennon Poucachichesay they were part of a group of six people who overdosed near the corner of Ontario and St-Dominique streets Sunday afternoon.

Four people, includingWabanonik-Conrad andPoucachiche, were taken to hospital by paramedics. The two men originally from Lac-Simon, an Algonquin community northwest of Montreal, say they were discharged Monday morning.

A 42-year-old woman remains in hospital in critical condition. The stateof another patient who was initially in critical condition has improved, police said Monday.

"I just took a small puff and I just started to feel horrible. I'm usually just a pot smoker.This is the first time this has happened to me,"Wabanonik-Conrad said, adding he is concerned for a cousin who was part of the group and is still hospitalized.

Poucachiche said he was still feeling tired and shaky.

"I just remember falling down slowly and when I closed my eyes, I don't remember after that," he said, adding he, too, does not typically inhale hard drugs.

"I never do that in my community. I told people, 'Don't smoke that s--t. It's not good.' Because, you know, you can die very fast. I feel lucky."

Montreal public health said it is now conducting its own investigation into the overdoses. Montreal police have said they are investigating as well.

Fentanyl poisoning suspected

Matthew Biddle, the housing manager of Project Autochtone du Qubec(PAQ), a nearby organization for Indigenous people in situations of homelessness, said his group's intervention team responded almost immediately Sunday.

"We definitely suspect overdose due to fentanyl," Biddle said in an interview, calling the situation "unprecedented" but saying his group has seen a significant rise in overdoses in the past year.

Between July 2022 and August 2023public health officials in Montreal counted 1,255 overdoses the highest annual total ever recordedon the island, according to a report released last month. Out of those overdoses, 175 were fatal.

Health officials also saymore people appear to be stepping up to be ready to assist by equipping themselves with naloxone kits.

This past weekend, ambulance staff administered naloxone seven times, according to an Urgences-santspokesperson. Thetotal for the year is 223 as of Sunday. In 2022, it was 291a record for the service.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the province's Health Ministry saidit takes the fight against opioidsseriously andpointedout Quebec has committed to spend $15 million a year on onprevention. It's also set aside about $37 million over five years for community groups that deal directly with drug users.

WATCH| Naloxone is available in Quebec pharmacies. This is how to use it:

How to administer naloxone if you witness an overdose

1 year ago

Duration 2:28

Sarah Kozusko of Regina's Queen City Wellness Pharmacy gives step-by-step instructions on how to use naloxone to potentially save a life after an overdose.

According to Urgences-sant spokesperson Julie Gaudin, responding to this many overdoses at the same location is "something we rarely see."

Police say it's not clear what led to the accidental overdosesbut that it's possible they were caused by a drug poisoned with fentanyl.They are recommending that peoplewho use drugs have them tested.

In an interview with Radio-Canada on Monday, the executive director of CACTUS Montral, a safe injection site, stressed the importance of never consuming drugs alone.

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"In a market that's not regulated, the best security is people being around you," said Jean-Franois Mary. "In that case, try to avoid consuming drugs at the same time so that if one person is overdosing, the other person is able to step in."

Mary says people who witness an overdose should call 911. He also urges people accustomed to being around drug users to learn how to performcardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR) and how to use naloxone kits.

CACTUS and three other organizations offer drug-testing services. For more information,click here.