KFL&A Public Health expands naloxone access as opioid overdoses continue to rise across Ontario

For immediate release
Wednesday, November 8, 2017

KINGSTON – The number of opioid overdoses continues to rise across Ontario, and to address this present and growing problem in our community, KFL&A Public Health is working with partners to increase access to naloxone, a life saving medication for those using drugs, and is expanding other harm reduction services.

KFL&A Public Health is now an access point for free nasal spray naloxone kits. The kits will be provided to someone who is “at risk” of an opioid overdose and their family members and friends, or to a person that is able to help someone “at risk” of an opioid overdose. A person “at risk” of an opioid overdose includes those who:

• are taking prescription opioids,
• are buying opioids from the street and don’t know how strong they are,
• are buying street drugs that could be laced with opioids,
• have overdosed on opioids before,
• are mixing opioids with other downers like alcohol or benzos (e.g., Valium or Xanax),
• have stopped using opioids for a while, which has lowered their tolerance,
• have just been released from jail and hasn’t used opioids in a while, or
• are using opioids by themselves.

Naloxone kits are available at KFL&A Public Health at 221 Portsmouth Avenue office Monday to Friday between 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Free nasal spray naloxone kits are also available to clients of Street Health Centre and free injection naloxone kits are available at many local community pharmacies.

KFL&A Public Health is also partnering with community organizations such as shelters, withdrawal management centres, and other key outreach programs to ensure people in the KFL&A region can pick-up naloxone kits at a wide variety of places.
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