More emphasis on addictions still needed: outreach group

An outreach group in St. John's applauds a new plan to help protect people from the dangers of fentanylbut says more needs to be done in the area of addictions.

"We need to have a bigger dialogue about how we're going to tackle addictions versus tackling one single drug," said Jane Henderson of Choices for Youth.

"Ten years ago we were having oxycontin taskforces. And this year we're on to fentanyl," she added."And I guarantee you if you were to take fentanyl out of the community there's going to be another drug coming right behind. So until we figure out how to tackle addictions and not the specific drug we're just going to be going around in circles."

Her comments come as a new partnership and awareness campaign involving the province, Eastern Health and the City of St. John'swas announced MondayinBannermanPark.

Henderson saidthere's no argument that fentanyl is a huge and serious problem.

"We've made some really great strides here today," she said. "I think overall we need to start thinking about addiction differently. I think in Newfoundland we've been thinking about addiction for too long as a moral failure and we need to start looking through a health model."

The awareness and education campaign is in response to a fentanyl-related death and a cluster of fentanyl overdoes.

Key components of the campaign will be pop-up tentsand clinics at various locations including events and festivals throughout the summer in the St. John's area.

The initiative also focuses on the antidote naloxone, harm reduction, stigma reduction and treatment services.

Henderson said these are steps in the right direction

"I keep hearing over and over that people choose to be an addict, people choose this lifestyle. I can guarantee you that is not the case," she said.

"We need better services and better supports for people with addictions including shortening wait lists and in-province treatment programs."

Extra things can be done

Christopher Smith, who works with a countrywide drug-monitoring program, has a few suggestions on how to help keep drug users safe.

One that he's partial to is the fentanyl test strip, which can tell iffentanyl is present in another drug.

"There are people who are goingto use drugs regardless of our attempts to demonize it or make it illegal or what have you," he said. "The best thing we can do for these people is to try and make it as safe as possible or to cause as least harm as possible."

Smith, who's a professor at Memorial University of Newfoundlandand is with the Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse, said drug-checking is normal in the drug party scene.

"I'd like to see these at drug-checking booths, at festivals, at parties. If you know your dope is laced with fentanyl you're going to be more careful," he said. "I think a separate drug-checking initiative would be a really good idea and give people knowledge so they can gauge their own use of a given substance."

Smith is also a fan of the opioid antidote Naloxone in a nasal spray.

He saidsyringes and glass vials throw some people off but the spray is easy to use.

They are about $70each, he said, addingmost kits contain at least two, so it can be expensive.