**** NSHA Media Release
#DrugAlert December 10, 2021
NSHA have received a report from a community partner who witnessed two separate instances of accidental drug poisonings this week (Dec. 8 & 9) in Halifax, NS. The accidental poisonings took several rounds of naloxone to reverse. The drug is described as Fentanyl and Purple Fentanyl. The drug was used intravenously.
Reminders for harm reduction:
• Don’t use alone, if possible. Keep a distance of 2 meters and respect public health measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 if using substances with others. If you have to use alone, call a trusted support person and let them know you are using alone and provide them with your location.
• Start with a test dose. Start low, go slow.
• Have naloxone available, even if you aren’t intentionally using opioids. Although naloxone only works to reverse opioid overdoses, there is no harm in administering it if you are unsure what kind of overdose you are witnessing. Naloxone is available for free from most community pharmacies and other community locations, including needle distribution and disposal organizations. For more information about where to get a free naloxone kit and how to use it, visit nsnaloxone.com
• Call 911 in the event of an overdose. Know your rights under the Good Samaritan Act, nsnaloxone.com/good-samaritan-act
