PETERBOROUGH-The City of Peterborough just hit a grim milestone in the opioid epidemic. 25 suspected overdose deaths so far this year.
Peterborough Police say from January 1, 2019 to Aug. 29, 2019 they’ve experienced 25 suspected drug overdose deaths (15 suspected and 10 confirmed). Before the new numbers were released Peterborough ranked fourth in opioid-related deaths in Ontario.
In Lindsay last June there were five overdoses from a combination of heroin mixed with Fentanyl were reported to the City of Kawartha Lakes Police Service in one weekend. In response to this ongoing threat to the safety of the community, members of the City of Kawartha Lakes Police Service Drug Enforcement Unit conducted an investigation into the sale of purple heroine from an address on William Street north in Lindsay.
“Purple Heroin,” which is a mixture of the controlled substances heroin and Fentanyl, has been responsible for a spike in drug overdoses in the City of Kawartha Lakes according to police. Fentanyl is an opioid based pain killer and when used alone, or added to other street drugs such as cocaine, cannabis and heroin, has a higher risk of causing a fatal overdose.
Kawartha Lakes Police say in 2018 they investigated 47 overdose or suspected overdose calls with three resulting in death. So far in 2019 there has been two deaths. This does not capture any deaths where person has overdosed at home and later dies in hospital.
From January 2018 to June 2018, 11 people died (confirmed and probable)of an opioid overdose in the City of Kawartha Lakes/Haliburton/Northumberland cachement area. (The most recent numbers available)That’s up sharply from only 2 deaths in the first six months of 2017 and more than the entire year.
“The presence of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues in the illicit drug supply has been increasing, and this has been attributed to an increase in unintentional overdoses and deaths. And this poisoning crisis shows no signs of slowing down.” Megan Deyman, Coordinator – Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland Drug Strategy told Kawartha 411 News.
Emergency Department visits also saw a sharp increase in the first half of 2018. From January to June 2017 there were 38 Ed visits in the Kawartha Lakes Health Unit cachement area versus 67 ED visits in that same period in 2018. Hospitalization rates remained about the same.
In Peterborough the number of ED visits jumped from 48 in the first half of 2017 to 91 in the first 6 months of 2018.
Read the full story here:https://www.kawartha411.ca/2019/01/23/opioid-deaths-skyrocket-in-kawartha-lakes-and-peterborough/
The Ontario Provincial Police are charging dealers. According to officials there has been 13 occurrences where charges have been laid for Manslaughter and/or Criminal Negligence Causing Death in relation to fatal overdoses since 2016. Eight of these occurrences were this year.
The 13 overdose-related death investigations have led to 20 Manslaughter and 12 Criminal Negligence Causing Death charges. The OPP is not the only police service to lay charges of this nature. Other police services across the province are collectively sending the same message – distributing or trafficking drugs such as fentanyl when the deadliness of this drug is very well-known and will be prosecuted.
“There are no excuses in today’s environment to continue to allow this drug to be distributed through our communities. People are dying from opioid overdoses every day. We are continuing to hold those people who are knowingly trafficking harmful substances, such as fentanyl, in our communities accountable for these deaths.” – Interim Deputy Paul Beesley, Investigations and Organized Crime, OPP
Anyone with information related to overdose deaths may call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or their local police. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or submit information at p3tips.com.
photo credit: [mementosis] end of an era(?) via photopin (license)
