Naloxone not enough to address opioid crisis says Sudbury addictions nurse

Naloxone isn't always effective for those who have overdosed on opioids.

According toHealth Canada,the antidote can be administered quickly to counter the effects of paindrugfentanyl, which can be deadly.

When someone overdoses,naloxone is used in a way similarto anEpi-penused on someone having asevereallergic reaction.

Kits of naloxone are available from pharmacies, health units and outreach centres.In Sudbury and distributedby the Reseau Access Aids Network.

• Fentanyl overdoses should an antidote be available in Sudbury schools?

• Sudbury cops say they need fentanyl antidote to save lives

However, naloxone is a temporary fix to the opioid crisis, saysAllan Malek with the Ontario Pharmacy Association.

Although he says a program that dispensesfree naloxone kits is a great start, education and other drug strategies are still needed.

"There is a whole lot more that has to be done."

"[Naloxone] is a reactive.It's a retrospective initiative. It's not the answer to our opioid crisis," says Malek.

Other unknown substances out there

Sudbury public health nurse Brenda Stankiewiczagrees that education, awareness and prevention are needed to address the drug crisis.

Although naloxone is effective for stopping the action ofopioidson the brain, Stankiewiczsays, theantidotecan't help a user who may haveoverdosed on an unidentified drug.

"We really don't know what [drugs are] out there or what is in the substances people are using," saysStankiewicz.

"It's a tough world for people who are using substances right now. They don't want to die, but they do want their high."

Stankiewicz says the Sudbury and District Health Unit is trying to reach out to thosewho use drugs to help them understand how they can use safely.

The health unit advises drug users to start with a small amount, and if they choose to use drugs always have another person nearby when getting high.

According to Stankiewicz, community partners in Sudbury are working on an opioid drug strategy.

Northern Ontario has some of the highest rates of opioid related deaths in the province.

[MEDIA