November 25, 2016
Province Launches New Awareness Campaign to Address Growing Opioid Drug Overdoses
– – –Province Targeting Fentanyl, Expanding Efforts to Ensure Everyone, User or Not, is Aware This Drug Kills: Ministers
The Manitoba government is launching a new social media awareness campaign in response to growing concerns over the number of reported overdoses due to fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid narcotic, Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Kelvin Goertzen and Justice Minister Heather Stefanson announced today.
Speaking to students at a Winnipeg high school today and a rural high school in Steinbach in the afternoon, Goertzen said that a significant increase in fentanyl-related overdoses has been observed in the past few years, with this number expected to increase again in 2016.
“Fentanyl and other dangerous opioids are showing up in many drugs in our province, killing people of all ages and many backgrounds and putting non-users, including children, at risk,” said Goertzen. “This growing trend is of great concern and we recognize that we must expand our efforts to ensure that everyone, user or not, is aware that these drugs kill.”
The minister said the new social media awareness campaign, funded through the Federal Proceeds of Crime Fund, is needed to educate people about the dangers posed by these drugs to both users and non-users and their presence in common recreational illicit drugs.
“Fentanyl is a danger to everyone, it does not discriminate,” said Stefanson. “First-time users, long-time addicts and innocent bystanders are all at risk of harm when faced with the increased presence of these drugs in our communities.”
The ministers explained the new campaign’s focus is on prevention and aims to create awareness for every Manitoban. They added it is imperative that everyone understand that illicit use of fentanyl and other opioids can have devastating impacts.
In addition to the social media campaign, public health officials continue to look at both immediate and long-term actions needed to prevent and respond to overdoses in Manitoba.
The Manitoba government is developing a program to distribute naloxone to high-risk injection opioids users across the province. Naloxone is a medication used to reverse the effects of opioids, preventing accidental and potentially fatal overdoses. The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority launched a naloxone program earlier this year and several lives have been saved thanks to the availability of these kits, Goertzen noted.
In addition, the province is seeking a national restriction on pill presses and supports the recently announced effort by the RCMP to reduce the importation of illicit opioids from China.
The first phase of the new social media awareness campaign launches today on the Manitoba government Twitter at www.twitter.com/MBGov. For more details, visit www.manitoba.ca/fentanyl.
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