Securing Our Community... Strengthening Our Commitment AWARENESS Prescription Drug Abuse 27TH ANNUAL COMMUNITY GUIDE i it ... t t i it t
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2 www.rnca.ca FREE ESTIMATES • Industrial / Commercial / Residential • Contaminated Soil Removal • Aggregates (3, 4, 6 Inch Minus Blast Rock, Class A & B) • Landscaping / Backfilling • Pit Run • Water & Sewer • Snowclearing • Engineered Rocks Pads • Equipment Rental Tim’s Cel l 638-0469
3 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association Thank you to the residents and businesses of Newfoundland and Labrador for supporting our 27th Annual Community Guide! Your support each year allows us to continue to bring important public safety awareness to the people of our province. In this year’s guide, we highlight the dangers of Prescription Drug Abuse. The abuse of prescription drugs in our community affects us all and we must work together to address these challenges. Discussing the misuse of prescription drugs and how you can prevent problematic prescription drug use (p.15) is important. We have included resources that are available if you or a loved one need help (p.65, 75 - 81 and 112). No one should have to suffer alone. The RNC Association, through monies raised by the publication of this guide, assists many organizations and community groups within our province. We are pleased this year to support Mental Health and Addictions Newfoundland and Labrador through our assistance to four of the health service providers across the province. These providers work to address the challenges of addiction in our province and are a source of support for many. We hope that you will use this Community Guide as a resource to start a conversation with your loved ones. Awareness and understanding of prescription drug abuse may help to save someone’s life. Thank you for your support! Sincerely, Mike Summers President RNC Association “Supporting our Community…Strengthening our Commitment” PRESIDENT’S m e s s a g e
4 www.rnca.ca Committed to our community Proudly supporting the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association.
5 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness CONTENTS RNCA News & Photo Album What is Prescription Drug Abuse? . . . . . . . . . . 10 Help Prevent Problematic Prescription Drug Abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Opioid Crisis: No Easy Fix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Warning Signs of Prescription Drug Abuse . . . 21 Opioid Overdose Signs and Symptoms . . . . . . 25 What is Fentanyl? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 How Canada Got Addicted to Fentanyl . . . . . . 29 Fentanyl’s Deadly Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Street Fentanyl, Straight Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Fentanyl in Newfoundland: Timeline of a Powerful Killer Drug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Fentanyl in the News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Preventing Overdoses with Naloxone . . . . . . . . 41 Naloxone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Opioid Overdose and Naloxone . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 5 Steps to Save a Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Expect to See More Naloxone Pop-Up Tents at Summer Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Death Count Rises as NL Grapples with Painkiller Addictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Addiction Treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Treatment Challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Addiction Services in Newfoundland . . . . . . . . 65 Treatment Centres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Mental Health and Addiction Assistance in Newfoundland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Rural Recovery: Addicts Talk Opioid Use in Stephenville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 MORE RESOURCES THERE’S HELP FOR DRUG ADDICTION! . .112 RNCA made a $2,500 donation to Mental Health and Addictions NL . . . . . . 79 2018 Police and Peace Officers of the Year Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Police Exemplary Service Medals and Bars Ceremony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Donations to the Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Detective Sgt. Thomas Fraize Scholarship . . . . 89 Presentation to the RNCVA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Newfoundland and Labrador Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremony & Parade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 2017 Diploma in Police Studies Program Graduation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Labrador West Took Part in Bell Let’s Talk Day on January 25, 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Law Enforcement Torch Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Mental Health Week in Labrador City . . . . . . . . 99 Labrador Pride Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Janeway Telethon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 2017 Cst. William Moss Softball Tournament . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Bike Safety Rodeo Held in Labrador City . . . . 103 Inspector For A Day - Labrador West . . . . . . . 103 Memorial on Parade Commemorative Parkette . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 DARE Graduation in Labrador City . . . . . . . . 105 Ronald MacDonald House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Seniors’ 2017 St. John’s Christmas Party . . . . 109 ADVERTISERS’ INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110 27th Annual Community Guide Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness RNCA Messages Message from the Premier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Message from the RNCA President . . . . . . . . . . 3 RNCA Executive Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Message from the Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
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7 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association EXECUTIVE Cst. Steven Simmons 2nd Vice President Cst. George Horan Director, Support Services Cst. Danny Abbass Director, Corner Brook Cst. Robyn Dunn Director, CID Sgt. Scott Harris Treasurer Cst. Jared Sweetapple Secretary Sgt. Mike Summers President Cst. Nicholas Cashin 1st Vice President Cst. Ryan Armstrong Director, Platoon B Sgt. Jason Power Director, NCOs Cst. Michael Hunt Director, Platoon A Cst. Pat McDonald Director, Platoon C Photos not Available Supporting Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Cst. Michael Hollett Director, Platoon D Cst. Zachary Pomeroy Director, Labrador
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9 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association On behalf of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association, I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank each and every contributor to our Annual Telephone Appeal, allowing this unique publication to be distributed to schools, libraries and public facilities and also available online at www.rnca.ca, making it easily accessible to everyone. The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Associationpublishes these Annual Crime Prevention Guides to educate the public on important community concerns. This 27th Annual Crime Prevention Guide targets the very serious problem of Prescription Drug Abuse, focusing on the terrible consequences of abusing opiates, including the recently publicized fentanyl scare. This publication is made possible as a result of financial contributions from residents and business representatives throughout the province. With their generous support for their activities the RNCAis also able to give back to their communities through donations to various local charities and programs for youth. Your comments or suggestions regarding these publications are always welcome and we look forward to speaking with you each year during our Annual Telephone Appeal. Respectfully, Mark T. Fenety President Fenety Marketing Services (Atlantic) Ltd. PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE “Providing quality, professional marketing and fundraising services on behalf of high-profile, non-profit organizations.” WWW.FENETY.COM
10 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association About Problematic Prescription Drug Use Intentionally taking medication that has not been prescribed to you, to get high or change your mood, is problematic prescription drug use. The most common types of prescription drugs that can lead to problematic use include: • Opioids, which can be prescribed to treat certain kinds of pain • Benzodiazepines, which can be prescribed to treat anxiety and sleep disorders • Stimulants, which can be prescribed to treat attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) • Counterfeit Prescription Drugs, are drugs not approved by Health Canada. Problematic use of these medications can cause serious health effects, including substance use disorder (addiction), overdose and even death. These risks increase when medications are: • taken at higher doses • taken in a different way or for different reasons than they were prescribed • used with alcohol or other prescription, over-the-counter or illegal drugs What is ... Prescription drug abuse occurs when someone takes a medical drug that was not prescribed for them or they take it in a different manner than it was supposed to be taken. Most people who abuse a prescription drug take more of the drug than a person who takes it for medical purposes. Abusers will build up tolerances to most drugs, meaning that it takes more and more of a drug to produce the same effect. After a while, the abuser may be taking much larger doses than normal. And a person abusing a drug may change its form, for example, they may crush a pill or dissolve a drug so they can inject it. This helps the drug reach the bloodstream faster and have faster effects, such as euphoria and a sedated feeling or perhaps increased confidence and increased activity, depending on the type of drug being abused. www.narconon.ca WHAT IS PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE? continued
11 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association I think my family member may have an issue with substance use. WHAT SHOULD I DO? The most important thing to do is be there for your friend or family member if s/he needs to talk. It is important to remind yourself that you cannot fix it, but you can support your friend if s/he chooses to get help. It can be really tough to watch a friend or loved one struggle with addiction. Remind yourself of the four C’s: you didn’t create it, you didn’t cause it, you can’t cure it and you can’t control it. If your loved one is not ready to make changes with his/her substance use, you can still seek support for yourself so that you can learn how to cope and take care of yourself. Having the support of family members and/or friends may help people feel more supported to take steps toward treatment. Here are some simple things to start with: • Raise your concerns with the person and let him or her know you are available to listen; • Provide factual information about the consequences or concerns associated with their substance use. If the person gets angry or denies there is a problem, be patient but firm; • Be positive and encourage change instead of blaming the person or making him or her feel guilty; • Find out about available treatment programs and tell the person about them; and, • Learn about the nature of drug abuse and addiction to give yourself a better understanding of the problem and how to best deal with it. www.bridgethegapp.ca
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13 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association WHAT IS PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE? continued www.canada.ca About Counterfeit Prescription Drugs Counterfeit drugs are not approved by Health Canada.They are made to look like brand name or generic prescription drugs to hide how they were produced and what they contain. Counterfeit drugs are not safe or effective, as they can be made with: • too much of the correct medicinal ingredients • not enough of the correct ingredients • no correct ingredients Counterfeit drugs can contain hidden ingredients that can seriously harm your health, including: • toxic chemicals • other prescription drugs • street drugs, such as illegally produced: • heroin • fentanyl • carfentanil Know what you are taking. If you take a medication, make sure you know your dosage and what your drug looks like. Find information on your prescription drug on the Drug and Health Product Register. Contact your pharmacist if your drug suddenly has a different: • size • taste • shape • colour How to avoid Counterfeit Prescription Drugs Buy your medications from licensed pharmacies only. Look for an 8-digit drug identification number (DIN) on the product label, or ask your pharmacist or health care provider for this information. Counterfeit prescription drugs can look identical to approved prescription drugs. SAMPLE LABEL Don't get drugs from: • friends • drug dealers • online sources that are not appropriately licensed • other non-licensed sources
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15 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association HELP PREVENT PROBLEMATIC PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE continued To help prevent problematic prescription drug use, you should: • keep track of your prescription drugs by counting the pills in each package. • keep medication in a safe and secure place, such as a locked box or cabinet. • return any unused or expired medications to your pharmacy or to a take-back program. • keep track of your refills at the pharmacy and make sure there are none that you didn't fill yourself. • avoid sharing your medication with family or friends, even if they have been prescribed the same drug before. Using Medications Safely Prescription and non-prescription medications can help treat diseases and conditions, and make you feel better. But taking these medications correctly is important. All medications carry some risk. Side effects (also known as adverse reactions) can occur even when the product is used correctly. For example, you could have a mild side effect like a minor rash, or a severe allergic reaction. Following directions, asking questions, and sharing your medical history are all ways to help reduce the risk of side effects. Know the Risks All medications carry some risk. Make sure you learn about these risks before you take the medication. Common risks include: • Combining medication with certain foods, beverages, vitamins, or other health products that can cause harmful interactions. • the medication not working as it should. • the medication causing more health problems. Reduce your Risk Follow directions. Always use medication as directed by your doctor or pharmacist.This includes when to take it, how often, and for how long.You should also know when and under what conditions you should stop using your medication, and what to do if you miss a dose. Always read the product label and follow the directions closely. Talk to your healthcare professional Talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional about all aspects of your medication. Discuss any questions or concerns you might have. • Discuss your medical history.This includes any health conditions you have, allergies and sensitivities, and what medications, including natural health products, you are taking. Keep a record of all your medications. • Mention if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to have a baby. • Discuss any difficulties you might have swallowing medication or remembering to take it on time.
16 www.rnca.ca Proud to Support the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association for all their efforts in keeping our communities safe.
17 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association Did you know? It is best to use the same pharmacy for all your prescriptions.The pharmacist will get to know you and your medical history, which will help identify any harmful interactions with other medications that you are taking.Learn about your medication: • Ask your healthcare professional why you are being prescribed the medication, how it should work, and whether you will need regular checkups or tests. •Ask about how to reduce the risk of side effects and possible harmful interactions with food, beverages (like grapefruit juice), vitamins, and herbal supplements. • Ask when you should expect to start feeling better, and if and when you should go back to your doctor. • Ask your pharmacist for documentation /pamphlets on the medications you are taking. Store Medications Safely • Always keep products in their original containers, even when travelling. • Never combine different medications in the same bottle. • Keep products in a cool, dry area, away from the sun. • All medications must be kept out of the reach of children. Dispose of Medications Properly At least once a year, go through your medicine cabinet and remove all prescription and nonprescription medications that are expired or that you no longer take. Medications must be disposed of correctly: return them to your pharmacy or to your local waste disposal depot. Report a side effect It is important to report a side effect to a medication by contacting your healthcare professional. www.canada.ca Prevention of Opioid Misuse and Addiction 1) Educational initiatives delivered in schools and community settings 2) Supporting consistent use of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs e.g.The Drug Information System (DIS) i. Records all prescriptions used and filled of a patient usually linked to Provincial Healthcare Number ii. Allows Health Care Providers to monitor and look for signs of abuse and misuse of drugs for a particular patient’s drug file 3) Aggressive law enforcement efforts to address doctor shipping and pill mills 4) Providing healthcare practitioners with tools for managing pain, including prescribing guidelines and enhanced warning on drug labels with expanded information for prescribers Research on the Use and Misuse of Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids Wilson M. Compton, M.D. Deputy Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).March 21, 2017 https://democratsenergycommerce.house.gov/sites/democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/fil es/Testimony-Compton-OI-Hrg-Fentanyl-Opioid-Crisis-2017-03-21.pdf HELP PREVENT PROBLEMATIC PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE continued You can also report it directly to Health Canada.
18 www.rnca.ca “Built for the Future of Mining” One company working together for a better, more seamless experience. Offshore Services Exotic Welding - Stainless Pipe Shop - Hydraulic/Testing Shop NACE Qualified Blasting and Painting Ship Repair - 4000 Ton Marine Elevator (Three Berths) - 175 meter Graving Dock - Four Deep Water Piers Industrial Fabrication - Heavy & Small CNC Machining - Heavy & Light Plate Rolling - CNC Cutting & Plasma Burning - Mobile & Overhead Cranage • 18 Acres of Prime & Readily Accessible Waterfront Property • Internal Manufacturing Area of 6500 Square Meters • Technical, Planning and Project Management Services • Subsea Testing Facility - Subsea Equipment Fabrication 475 Water Street, St. John’s Newfoundland A1E 6B5 Telephone: (709) 758-6800 Facsimile: (709) 758-6824 Email: admin@newdock.nf.ca Website: www.newdock.nf.ca Joy Davis Operations Manager Forteau, NL A0K 2P0 (709) 931-2443 Proud to support the RNCA’s efforts on Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness
19 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association OPIOID CRISIS: NO EASY FIX Eroding economic opportunity, evolving approaches to pain treatment, and limited drug treatment have fueled spikes in problematic substance use, of which opioid overdose is the most visible manifestation. Epidemic inThree Phases 1) Rise of chronic pain In 1980, acute pain was so frequently treated with opioids. Previously, chronic pain was managed largely with cognitive behavioral therapy, even hypnosis. The Institute of Medicine reported that the rise in chronic pain prevalence in the 1990s to the following: 1) Greater patient expectations for pain relief 2) Musculoskeletal disorders of an aging population 3) Increased survivorship after injury and cancer 4) Increasing frequency and complexity of surgery. As insurers limited coverage of behavioral pain therapy, biopharmaceutical manufacturers sensed an opportunity. Pharmaceutical innovation propagated extended-release formulations, transdermal patches, nasal sprays, and oral dissolving strips. 2) Rise in prescriptions for opioids Physicians were unscrupulous, doling out opioids without adequate regard for medical need. 3) Rise of efficient global supply chains Increasingly efficient global supply chains and a sharp intensification in interdiction efforts created the conditions for the emergence of potent and less bulky products, for example, illicitly manufactured fentanyl and its analogs, which are increasing present in counterfeit pills and heroin. Between 2013 and 2016 deaths attributed to fentanyl analogs spiked by 540% nationally. The rapid acceleration of the crisis has led to its designation as a national public health emergency. Root Causes Prescription opioid overdose death rates have not yet dropped following the declining opioid prescribing: the number of outpatient opioid analgesic prescriptions dropped 13% nationally between 2012 and 2015.Yet, the national overdose death rate surged 38% during those years. In short, deaths attributable to prescription opioids have not decreased proportionally to dispensing. There are intuitive causal connections between poor health and structural factors such as poverty, lack of opportunity, and substandard living and working conditions. An alternate hypothesis suggests that an environment increasingly promotes obesity coupled with widespread opioid use may be the underlying drivers of increasing White middle-class mortality. Complex interconnections between obesity, disability, chronic pain, depression and substance use have not been adequately explored. Poverty and substance use problems operate synergistically, at the extreme reinforced by psychiatric disorders and unstable housing.The most lucrative employment in poorer communities is dominated by manufacturing and service jobs with elevated physical hazards.When sustained over years, on-the-job injuries can give rise to chronically painful conditions, potentially resulting in a downward spiral of disability and poverty. The counties with the lowest levels of social capital have the highest overdose rates. The interplay between social and genetic factors, too, is being elucidated. Individuals living in low socioeconomic neighbourhoods were more likely to develop chronic pain after car crashes, a process medicated by stress response genes. National Academy of Sciences report provides this summary: …overprescribing was not the sole cause of the problem.While increased opioid prescribing for chronic pain has been a vector of the opioid epidemic, researchers agree that such structural factors as lack of economic opportunity, poor working conditions, and eroded social capital in depressed communities, accompanied by hopelessness and despair, are root causes of the misuse of opioids and other substances. American Journal of Public Health. February 2018,Vol 108, No.2
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21 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association Behavioral Changes Keep an eye out for these behavioral changes: • Your loved one becomes more irritable or exhibits sudden mood swings or personality change without an obvious cause. • They become forgetful or clumsy when it is out of their nature. • They skip work, class, or other regular activities, or their performance in these areas suffers. • They lie, become more deceitful, and/or avoid eye contact. • They lose interest in personal appearance and/or things they once loved. • They have either a major loss or increase in appetite. • They have an extreme and sudden change in their choice of friends and hang-out locations. • They are suddenly asking to borrow money or have extra money with no obvious source. • They become angry and abusive, or engage in reckless behavior. Physical Symptoms of Opioid Abuse: • Confusion and lack of coordination • Lowered blood pressure • Dry mouth •Weakness, dizziness, sleepiness • Constricted pupils •Watery or droopy eyes • Nausea, vomiting, and constipation • Respiratory depression (inadequate ventilation) • Sleep deprivation or “nodding” • Slow, slurred speech • Slow gait • Dry skin, itching, or skin infections • Constant flu-like symptoms • Bruises or “track marks” (if injecting) Physical Symptoms of Depressant Abuse: • Decreased attention span • Impaired judgment • Lack of coordination/dizziness • Lowered blood pressure • Memory problems • Slurred speech • Respiratory depression • Slowed reflexes WARNING SIGNS OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGABUSE Notice the signs and symptoms of abuse before it is too late continued
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23 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association Physical Symptoms of Stimulant Abuse: • Loss of appetite or weight loss • Memory loss and problems thinking clearly • External indications of mood or emotional problems (aggressive or violent behavior) • High body temperature and skin flushing • Anxiety and delusions • Dilated pupils • Sweating, shaking or tremors • Restlessness and hyperactivity • Paranoia or nervousness • Increased blood pressure, heart rate, or irregular heartbeat • Repetitive behaviors www.drugrehab.org WARNING SIGNS OF PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE continued
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26 www.rnca.ca Tel: (709) 279-2922 Fax: (709) 279-2902 Toll Free: 1-877-777-2723 www.BPBrighterFutures.ca Burin Peninsula Brighter Futures Inc. Family Resource Centers & Healthy Baby Clubs 129-131 Smallwood Crescent P.O. Box 659, Marystown, NL A0E 2M0 Stephen Kelly, P.Eng., GSC General Manager - Atlantic Canada Cell: (709) 330-8157 Stephen.kelly@hhcinc.ca Office 709-739-0206 · Fax 709-739-4912 · Horseshoe Hill Construction Inc. 82 Clyde Ave · Mount Pearl, NL · A1N 4S2 · www.hhcinc.ca Port of Argentia 1 Augusta Ave., PO Box 95 Argentia, NL A0B 1W0 t. (709) 227-5502 ext. 201 c. (709) 227-6668 e. w.brenton@portofargentia.ca portofargentia.ca Nord Marine SERVICES LIMITED www.nordmarine.ca 42 Dundee Ave, Mt. Pearl 747-7733 Toll Free: 1-877-576-2137 709.489.2277 2C Mill Road, GF-W www.cohenlawnl.ca Phone: (709) 639-3220 Fax: (709) 639-3230 Toll free: 1-866-339-3220 www.napaonlinecanada.com Official Airport Taxi Major Credit Cards Accepted Wake Up Calls Bus Charters Available Email: info@citywidetaxi.ca Web: www.citywidetaxi.ca 100 Main Street, Heart’s Content, NL A0B 1Z0 (709) 583-2939 Like us on Facebook Legge’s Garage Auto Body Shop
27 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association Fentanyl is a powerful prescription painkiller about 100x more toxic than morphine. It is now being imported and sold illegally with tragic consequences. Fentanyl nicknames include: - Apache - China Girl - ChinaWhite - Dance Fever - Friend, Goodfella - Green beans - Jackpot - Murder 8 - Shady 80s -TNT -Tango and Cash. Overdose signs and symptoms: • Severe sleepiness • Slow, shallow breathing • Lips and nails turn blue • Person is unresponsive • Gurgling sounds or snoring • Cold and clammy skin • Tiny pupils WHAT IS FENTANYL? IF YOU SUSPECT AN OVERDOSE, CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY!!! FACTS: • Fentanyl has been mixed with other drugs such as heroin and cocaine. • It has been used in tablets made to look like prescription drugs. • Overdoses have occurred where individuals were not aware they were consuming fentanyl. • It is odourless and tasteless, and therefore hard to detect. • It is often found in powder, pill, liquid and blotter form. • 2 milligrams of pure fentanyl (the size of about 4 grains of salt) is enough to kill the average adult. • Unintentional exposure to pure fentanyl – touching or inhaling – can cause serious harm including death. • Fentanyl-related deaths have been increasing in Canada. www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca
28 www.rnca.ca The Carpenters Union is proud to support the RNCA’s Annual Crime Prevention Guide, focusing on “Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness” General Delivery Whiteway, NL A0B 3L0 709 588-4653 PO Box 250 Triton, NL A0J 1V0 (709) 263-7221 jerry.jones@duralitediamonddrills.com Canada Mexico Colombia Town of Crow Head Twillingate, NL Proud to Support the RNCA’s Annual Crime Prevention Guide, focusing on “Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness” 884-5651 Head Office: P.O. Box 130, L’Anse au Loup, NL A0K 3L0 Phone:709-927-5816 Fax:709-927-5555 www.labshrimp.com Fish Processing Plants at Cartwright, L’Anse au Loup, Mary’s Harbour, Pinsent’s Arm and Charlottetown Fresh Atlantic Products from the People’s Seafood Company www.bhpservices.ca
29 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association • It came into widespread use in the mid-1990s with the introduction of the transdermal patch that releases the drug into the patient's bloodstream over two or three days. When the drug is processed in a clandestine lab with no quality controls, it is difficult to get the dosage right, making it potentially much more dangerous. • Chemical companies in China custom-design variants of pharmaceutical-grade fentanyl by tweaking a molecule ever so slightly. A few hundred micrograms – the weight of a single grain of salt – are enough to trigger heroin-like bliss. But the line between euphoria and fatal overdose is frighteningly thin: An amount the size of two grains of salt can kill a healthy adult. • In British Columbia and Alberta, the two hardest-hit provinces, fatal overdoses linked to fentanyl soared from 42 in 2012 to 418 in 2015. • Because illicit fentanyl is so potent, once it arrives here, the white crystalline powder gets diluted with powdered sugar, baby powder or antihistamines before it can be sold on the street and consumed. It is also mixed into other drugs, and sold as heroin or OxyContin. • The arrival of illicit fentanyl in Canada is a "game changer," says Benedikt Fischer, a senior scientist at Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. When Canada's opioid problem involved only the abuse of prescription drugs, he says, policymakers squandered an opportunity to address it. Now that many addicts are turning to a drug that is manufactured without government oversight – and in countries beyond our borders, to boot – it is nearly impossible to get a grip on the problem. "Even if we wanted to now suddenly take action, there's nothing we can do," he says. "We have no way of controlling thousands of illegal drug labs in China." • Unlike the massive infrastructure and cartels required to manufacture and transport heroin or cocaine, just about anyone can buy and sell fentanyl. Because it is so powerful, a little goes a long way. A kilogram ordered over the Internet – an amount equal in weight to a medium-sized cantaloupe – sells on the street in Calgary for $20-million, making it a drug dealer's dream. • Buyers are assured their packages won’t get seized at the Canadian border. To avoid the risk of detection, says a supplier from China, he conceals the purchase alongside urine test strips. Not that there is a need to worry: Canadian border guards cannot open packages weighing less than 30 grams without the consent of the recipient. • The supplier, who identified himself only as Alan, says he has two customers in Canada. He e-mails photos of fentanyl hidden inside silica-desiccant packets – the type normally used when shipping goods such as electronics – and a screen shot of a recent order from Canada, including a shipping address for a clothing store in British Columbia's picturesque Okanagan Valley. HOWCANADA GOTADDICTED TO FENTANYL Suppliers in China hide fentanyl in decoy packages before shipping the drug to Canada. Sometimes they conceal the drug alongside urine test strips. Fentanyl from China is sometimes hidden in silica desiccant packages. continued
30 www.rnca.ca Dickie’s 5 Dock Row PO Box 1945, Marystown, NL A0E 2M0 (709) 279-3050 Email: info@thomasamusements.ca web: thomasamusements.ca A Home Away From Home Childcare Centre 268-270 Conception Bay Highway Brigus NL A0A 1K0 p. 709- 528-9529 ahomeawayfromhome2015@hotmail.com Commercial or Residential Bus: (709) 368-4366 Fax: (709) 368-4381 Pit Crew Drive Thru Inc. www.pitcrewdrivethrough.com 649 Topsail Road 11 Majors Path 709-747-2739 Drive thru Oil Change
31 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association HOW CANADA GOT ADDICTED TO FENTANYL continued • Demand for a replacement for OxyContin also gave rise to another problem – a counterfeit version of the drug laced with illicit fentanyl smuggled into Canada and processed for street sale in labs.The labs would typically dye their pills green to mimic the 80-milligram OxyContin pills favoured by opioid abusers, and sell them as "greenies" or "shady eighties." • In comparison to Europeans, North Americans rely heavily on pharmacological solutions to medical woes. In a culture whose citizens pop over-the-counter pills to treat every minor ailment, says Sgt. Darin Sheppard, of the RCMP's Federal Serious and Organized Crime Synthetic Drug Operations, many drug users view the "greenies" as deceptively harmless. • Police across Canada have shut down 20 fentanyl labs since that first major bust in April 2013, mostly operated by organized-crime groups, according to a Globe review. See Map below. • The Canada Border Services Agency, the first line of defence in preventing illicit goods from entering the country, is responsible for clearing international mail. In 2015, the agency made just under 11,000 illicit-drug seizures, half of which came through the postal system. • As long as Chinese officials do not crack down more aggressively on exporters, medical experts say the responsibility for change falls squarely on those in power at the end of the supply chain. • Even if new guidelines were introduced, there are still not enough resources, nationally, to treat addiction. More beds are needed for those going through withdrawal as well as treatment programs for people addicted to painkillers, especially for aboriginals and those living in remote areas. www.theglobeandmail.com www.theglobeandmail.com Fentanyl pills are made to look similar to OxyContin pills.
32 www.rnca.ca DR. NASSIM MISSAGHIAN 65 WHITE ROSE DR. ST. JOHN’S, NL A1A 0H5 PH 709.726.7330 FAX 709.726.7360 www.eastenddental.ca Shea’s Building Supplies Ltd. 4 Valley St., Stephenville-Cross, NL A0N 2C0 • Builders’ hardware: retail • Building material store • Lumber • Mouldings: wood Telephone: (709) 645-5526 Fax: (709) 646-5526 NAIN SAFE HOUSE Nicole Dicker, Executive Director P.O. Box 447, Nain, NL A0P 1L0 Crisis Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .709-922-1229 Toll Free . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-866-922-1230 Office Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .709-922-1230 Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .709-922-1424 Email . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .nainsafehouse@nf.aibn.com Natika Hearn PLC Inc. Barristers & Solicitors Natika J. Hearn P.O. Box 129 450 Avalon Drive Labrador City, NL Canada A2V 2K3 Tel: (709) 944-3666 Fax: (709) 944-5494 miller&hearn@crrstv.net Miller & Hearn Charles S. Curtis Memorial Hospital 178-200 West Street, St. Anthony, NL A0K 4S0 T: 709-454-0370 F: 709-454-3171 18 Tenth Ave., Pasadena, NL, A0L 1K0 (709) 686-2075 495Water Street St. John’s, NL A1E 6B5 Tel: (709) 579-1624 Fax: (709) 579-2477 www.keyassetsnl.ca
33 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association FENTANYL’S DEADLY PATH How the powerful drug gets across Canada’s border and into the hands of users China is a key source of illicit fentanyl coming to Canada Labs in China tailor custom variations of fentanyl Distributors sell the drug online, with delivery guaranteed Before it is shipped, the drug is hidden in a decoy package www.theglobeandmail.com The drug comes into Canada through the mail or by courier Fentanyl is so potent that shipments can be relatively small. But larger quantities do arrive hidden in cargo shipments. Traffickers range from organized crime to lone operators Across Canada, police are seizing illicit fentanyl from China Once the drug is in, it is processed – often in Western Canada Once processed, the drug is moved to large cities, such as Calgary Bootleg fentanyl is highly lucrative The users at the end of the production line are diverse Fentanyl has been found in police busts all over the country ‘It’s a huge problem and it’s not just a policing problem’ ( )
34 www.rnca.ca Strickland’s Auto and Gas Ltd. John Cabot Street, Churchill Falls, NL A0R 1A0 (709) 925-3233 Proud to support our RNCA Holloway’s Funeral Home & Maggie’s Flowers Ltd P.O. Box 42 33A Cabot Avenue, Whitbourne Newfoundland A0B-3K0 Family owned and operated Garry and Ruby Holloway Funeral Directors Phone: 709-759-3020 www.hollowaysfuneral.ca Serving All Faiths WEST COAST EXCAVATING CO LTD PO Box 266, Corner Brook, NL A2H 6C9 (709) 639-9423 238 Memorial Drive Clarenville, NL A0E 1J0 (709) 466-2622 Joe Gedge M.Sc., RAud(C),Ed.D. Audiologist Hearing Aid Dispenser Jodine Reid B. Comm. Licensed Hearing Aid Practitioner Jason Gedge Licensed Hearing Aid Practitioner Joanne Gedge Licensed Hearing Aid Practitioner Jody Strickland M.Sc., RAud(C),Ed.D. Audiologist “Smith Snack Services Ltd is proud to support the RNCA with their efforts on Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness” Conne River Health & Social Services Miawpukek First Nation P.O. Box 160 Conne River, Micmac Territory, Nfld. A0H 1J0 (709) 882-2710 Fax (709) 882-2889
35 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association STREET FENTANYL STRAIGHT TALK What is “street fentanyl”? Street fentanyl is any fentanyl used by someone it was not prescribed for. Fentanyl is a powerful pain medication. It is an opioid, like morphine, codeine, oxycodone (oxys) and methadone. Fentanyl is most often prescribed as a slowrelease patch to people with long-term, severe pain. Fentanyl is much stronger than most other opioids—up to100 times stronger than morphine—and is very dangerous if misused. Even a small amount can cause an overdose and death. Street fentanyl may be swallowed, smoked, snorted or injected. Where does street fentanyl come from? Street fentanyl can come from two sources: • illegal drug labs • patches that have been sold by or stolen from people they were prescribed to. Most street fentanyl in Canada is produced illegally as a powder. It is sold as a powder or a pill, or is cut into (mixed with) drugs such as heroin or cocaine.This type of fentanyl is usually sold as another substance, so people swallow, snort or inject it without realizing. Fentanyl is released from prescription patches by smoking or chewing. What makes fentanyl so dangerous? • It is often impossible to tell if a powder or pill contains fentanyl.You can’t see it, smell it or taste it. Even your dealer might not know what he or she is selling, or how strong it is. • Because fentanyl is so strong, the difference between a dose that will get you high and a dose that can kill you is very small. • You can overdose even if you use a prescription patch with an identified dose. Everyone handles fentanyl differently. One person’s dose can kill another person. • If you are using other drugs at the same time - for example, other opioids, alcohol or sedatives such as Xanax, Valium or Ativan - the risk of overdose is even higher. Why is selling your fentanyl patch risky? If you sell fentanyl that is prescribed to you, you risk overdosing yourself.This may sound strange, but if you skip one or more doses, your tolerance is reduced (your body is no longer used to your full dose).The next time you take your prescribed dose, you can overdose. Also, if someone dies after you give or sell them your fentanyl patch, you can be held criminally responsible for the death. What does a fentanyl overdose look like? When someone overdoses on fentanyl they first become sleepy, and it is hard to wake them. Their breathing becomes slow and shallow, they may snore, and they may pass out. The person’s body may become limp, their face pale or clammy, and their pulse weak or slow. For lighter-skinned people, the lips and finger tips may turn blue or purple. For darker-skinned people, the inside of the lips may become blue or purple. I am with someone who has overdosed. What should I do? Call 911 right away! The person needs specific drugs and medical care to reverse the overdose. No amount of coffee, cold showers or “walking them around” will help. If an overdose is not treated, the person can die or have brain damage. The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act protects you from being charged or convicted for drug possession if you call 911 to report an overdose, or if you are at the scene when emergency services arrive.This is true even if you are on probation for possession. If you have a naloxone kit, use it. Naloxone can temporarily reduce the overdose and allow time for medical help to arrive. If I use fentanyl or other drugs,what can I do to be safer? • Avoid using in places where help is not within reach. • Have a friend with you. Never use alone or in an unfamiliar place. • Take turns in using, so the other person can get help if there is an overdose. • Start with a small amount, so you can test the effects. • Do not mix substances, including alcohol - it increases the risk of an overdose. • Call 911 right away if you think someone might be overdosing. • Keep a naloxone kit on hand. www.camh.ca
36 www.rnca.ca The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 45, Woody Point supports the RNCA in their Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness. Mon-Fri: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm Sat-Sun: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm www.jamesgcrawford.ca 96 West Street, Suite 202 Corner Brook, NL A2H 2Z3 TF: 1-800-563-6681 lifetouch.ca Bert Penney Territory Manager Tucker Acura 915 Topsail Road (709) 364-2423 www.tuckeracura.com 1-888-349-6999 HICKEY’S BUS SERVICE Province-wide, Economical BUS CHARTERS Healey’s Rd (Holyrood) . . . . . . . . . .229-2300 OR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .229-4624 Tel: 709-282-6222 Fax: 709-282-6234 E-mail: lindsey.rona@outlook.com Fitz’s Enterprises Ltd. 6 First St. P.O. Box 1360 Wabush, NL A0R 1B0 Hardware - Building Materials - Flooring - Paint Home Centre Comfort Dental Zone New Harbour, Main Rd. Ph: 709.582.2841 New Harbour Comfort Dental Zone Email: comfortdentalzone@bellaliant.com Smile ... Enhance the Inner Beauty! Cell: 709.743.5078 The Outport Restaurant & Pub 1495 Topsail Road Paradise, NL A1L 1P9 709-782-2121
37 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association Originally published on May 13, 2017 by Ariana Kelland, CBC News They knew it was coming. For more than a year, outreach workers waited for the day that fentanyl — an opioid that is about 100 times more potent than morphine — would overwhelm the drug-taking community in Newfoundland and Labrador.That day — or rather week — came in April 2017, during which Eastern Health revealed at a news conference that the deadly drug was suspected in 15 overdoses and one death on the northeast Avalon. The synthetic opioid can be prescribed as pain medication, but its abuse as a street drug has swept across Canada, killing more than 1,000 people. Drug deaths: 2013-2015 According to statistics from the chief medical examiner, fentanyl played a role in two deaths in 2013. In 2014, fentanyl was cited as a cause for three deaths. By 2015, the number had climbed to five. According to the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, Newfoundland reported five accidental or undetermined fentanyl-implicated deaths, between from 1997 to 2013. One death was an overdose due to fentanyl alone, while four other deaths involved other drugs.All cases involved fentanyl patches. August 2016 The Newfoundland and Labrador government announces it will supply 1,200 kits containing naloxone — a drug that reverses overdose effects — province-wide.The 1,200 takehome kits, available free of charge, contain naloxone along with items needed to administer it, like latex gloves, single-use syringes and alcohol swabs. September 2016 A sweeping raid of Vikings Motorcycle clubhouses and their alleged members turned up 27 grams of powder sold as heroin. But police said it actually contained 3.6 per cent fentanyl. Police heralded Project Bombard, which involved charges of murder and drug trafficking, as having stopped the Hells Angels from gaining a foothold in the province. November 2016 OperationTitanium saw guns, drugs and other weapons worth about $750,000 seized from theAvalon Peninsula. Four people were charged, including a man and woman in Pouch Cove, a man from St. John's and another from Montreal. The next month, police said lab tests determined 252 tablets seized were fentanyl. January 2017 Contraband pills manufactured to look like OxyContin were discovered on the Burin Peninsula.The RCMP warned the pills contained fentanyl, a drug that will give a similar high, but is much stronger. April 2017 Eastern Health holds a news conference warning of 15 overdoses and one death on the northeast Avalon, over the course of two weeks. Patients reported to doctors that they believed they were taking heroin prior to overdosing. There were some cases involving cocaine and Percocet, according to the RNC. Hours after the health authority made a public plea for users to be extra cautious, a mother of three boys overdosed. Niki Chapman, 39, died in a home on Empire Avenue. She was the second reported overdose from the same cluster of drugs. (See Page 39 ‘Mother of 3 among fentanyl-related deaths in St. John's area’ for full story) May 2017 The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit announces two men have been arrested in relation to a drug seizure on a quiet street in the east end of St. John's. The following afternoon, neighbours were told to stay inside their homes as police searched a bungalow on Beauford Place. Laboratory testing later revealed that fentanyl had been mixed in with the heroin. On May 4, police seized heroin during a traffic stop in the east end of St. John's. Officers believed the small amount of drugs may have contained fentanyl.The seized drugs were sent for analysis. What's next? Tree Walsh, who has been warning of the drug for years, described this wave of overdoses as "the thin edge of the wedge. "In an interview inApril 2017, Walsh said the province and outreach workers need to be prepared, adding she and volunteers with the Safe Access Works Program have been busy distributing clean needles and instructing people on how to use naloxone.The province, meanwhile, is determining how to expand access to kits, where the kits should go, and how to educate the public on the dangers of the drug. www.cbc.ca FENTANYL IN NEWFOUNDLAND: TIMELINE OF A POWERFUL KILLER DRUG Christopher Smith, the local site co-ordinator for the Canadian Community Epidemiology Network, passed out information sheets on fentanyl in downtown St. John's on May 5, 2017. (Ariana Kelland/CBC) continued
38 www.rnca.ca Single Parent Association of NL 472 Logy Bay Road P.O. Box 21421 St. John's, NL, A1A 5G6 Ph: 709-738-3401 Fax: 709-738-3406 span@spanl.ca www.envision.ca/webs/span/ www.facebook.com/SPANL “Supporting the needs of single parent families” Royal Canadian Legion Branch 56, Pleasantville P.O. Box 175, St. John’s, NL A1C 5J2 CATERING AVAILABLE Please Call Ted or Bev (709) 753-9820 Heatherway Farms Inc. Owned & Operated by Andy & Marilyn Larner Proud to support the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association (709) 759-2144 Watson Petroleum Services Mount Pearl (709) 745-5600 Proud Sponsor of the RNCA
39 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association Mother of 3 among fentanyl-related deaths in St. John's area Originally published on May 9, 2017 by Ariana Kelland, CBC News One day inApril 2017, a Newfoundland mom of three boys overdosed and survived. The next week, she injected heroin, and wasn't so lucky. Niki Chapman, 39, died — the second person on the northeast Avalon known to have fatally overdosed on fentanyl. Chapman puts a human face on the tragic consequences of a deadly painkiller that's reached Canada's most easterly province. “I was mad.Very mad. As a parent, you can't do anything about that type of thing,” her father, Jim Chapman, told CBC News on Monday. “I had a hint that she had an addiction problem and drugs and pills. It started with painkillers and stuff, and just got worse and worse … It just crushed us.” Daughter used drugs to zone out Jim Chapman spoke by phone while travelling from Newfoundland to Alberta, where he lives. He came to the province to attend his daughter's funeral. He said Niki Chapman “just didn't know how to deal” with family and relationship issues, and had been struggling with drugs. Drugs, he said, were "her way of zoning out to try and kill the emotional pain that was going on in her life.” Jim Chapman's son called him at 5 a.m. on April 26, while he was getting ready to work, and told him the bad news. “That crushed us. Being so far away.” Police confirmed later that day that a 39-year-old woman died of a fentanyl-related overdose. She was found unresponsive in a home on EmpireAvenue. In speaking with police officers, Chapman said it seems as though there's no way to stop the deadly grip of fentanyl.“They can't stop it. And it's coming. It's coming to Newfoundland now and these poor people … these poor people that need help with addiction problems, a lot of them are going to die.” He said he doesn't know where his daughter got the drugs, but that she went to St. John's from her home in Holyrood days earlier to be with friends. “A lot of these people are sharing needles, passing it on,” he explained. “It's hard to track who the person is bringing it. Police know who's bringing it but I don't think they have the resources or help to stop it.” Niki Chapman left behind three boys under the age of 11. Their grandfather says they're doing OK, but don't fully understand what's happening. His advice for others in his situation is to never give up on their loved ones, to stay with them and provide support. “When you're sticking that needle in your arm or you're snorting it up your nose, just think, it might be your last time.” Mothers band together for harm reduction Originally published on on January 16, 2018 by Lindsay Jones,The Globe and Mail Fentanyl is devastating families across the country, leading some of those affected, likeTina Kavanagh, to take matters into their own hands Tina Kavanagh poses in front of the RV she purchased to turn into a mobile needle exchange program inWabana on Bell Island, Nfld. (Darren Calabrese/The Globe and Mail) When Tina Kavanagh's son David got out of rehab in September 2017, she got a knot in her stomach. "I was really worried knowing he was out because fentanyl was introduced to Cambridge [Ont.] six months prior to him getting out of rehab," she said. She suppressed the urge to warn her 24-year-old about the potentially lethal opioid and instead listened to his cheerful chatter about the future. "He was on cloud nine," said Ms. Kavanagh, who grew up on Newfoundland's Bell Island but now lives in Mississauga. "It was almost too good to be true when I look back on it. He said, 'Mom, when are we going to go to Newfoundland for a trip, for a holiday? I'm back to work, Mom. I've still got my job!" David never made it back to Newfoundland. On Oct. 12, 2017 two weeks after he left a halfway house in Kitchener, Ms. Kavanagh got the call. David had received his first paycheque – from a job mixing chemicals to make vinyl – and was living with his cousin in Cambridge.At 6:15 in the morning, his cousin's wife went to wake him for work and found his lifeless body on the floor, a syringe in his hand. Ms. Kavanagh believes David injected heroin laced with fentanyl, a prescription painkiller 100 times more potent than morphine. FENTANYL IN THE NEWS continued Niki Chapman, 39, died of an overdose April 26, 2017. Tina Kavanagh poses in front of the RV she purchased to turn into a mobile needle exchange program in Wabana on Bell Island, Nfld. (Darren Calabrese/ The Globe and Mail)
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