Three drug users in Winnipeg saved from fentanyl deaths

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This article was published 11/04/2016 (3216 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In what Winnipeg police are calling “a very close call,” three people almost died of fentanyl overdoses in Winnipeg on the weekend.

Patrol officers were flagged down at 4:10 a.m. Sunday and found an unconscious man, 55, and woman, 31, in a vehicle in the 1300 block of Main Street. Paramedics revived the pair and they were taken to hospital. A 27-year-old man was found nearby and was also taken to hospital. All three were listed in stable condition.

“The two were completely unresponsive,” said Winnipeg police Const. Jason Michalyshen. “In fact, when the officers were flagged down, they were believed to have been deceased.”

The overdoses are thought to have been caused by fentanyl, a powerful opiate typically used to treat chronic or severe pain. Overdoses typically occur when fentanyl is mixed with heroin or cocaine, amplifying their potency and risk factor. Police said the victims were unaware the drugs they were taking were laced with fentanyl.

There has been “a progressive increase” in drug overdose deaths involving fentanyl, police say.

At least 655 people in Canada died from fentanyl overdoses between 2009 and 2014. Michalyshen said this number is getting worse.

“We’ve heard… of individuals who from time to time socially use drugs (who) took a dose of fentanyl and never woke up,” Michalyshen said. “This was a very close call.”

Mike Sloan, a pharmacist with Opiate Addiction Treatment Services (OATS), said he estimates one-third of their patients are fentanyl abusers, a significant increase over the past three years.

“(Fentanyl) packs more of a punch. It’s more powerful and it wears off quicker, which makes it more addictive and more dangerous,” Sloan said.

Drug dealers use fentanyl to cut their products because it’s cheaper, Sloan said, meaning some people may be using fentanyl without realizing it.

“We’re seeing people taking it and they don’t know how much they’re using,” Sloan said. “It’s the perfect storm for overdoses.”

This scenario was how individuals in Winnipeg overdosed on the weekend, using illegal drugs they were unaware had been laced with fentanyl, Michalyshen said.

“Individuals who are engaged in the use of illicit drugs, they don’t know the dosage or the contents of what they’re using… you’re playing a game of roulette for a high,” he said.

Winnipeg police hope this weekend’s overdoses can prompt addicts to get the help they need.

“This isn’t just statistics,” Michalyshen said. “This is an actual incident that took place over the weekend where three individuals almost lost their lives.”

An investigation is ongoing, but no charges are pending.

erin.debooy@freepress.mb.ca