Historic Chatham drug bust could have serious implications on drug users

The Chatham-Kent Police Service seized an estimated $2.6 million worth of drugs April 10 as part of Project 'Fresh'. Tuesday, taking more drugs off the street.

Caress Lee Carpenter, the community outreach and public relations officer with Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit said the large seizure has the potential to prompt those who use substances to look outside of their normal drugs of choice for a high. And that can be dangerous.

"Of course [this] can result in increased harm due to unfamiliarity with potency," she said.

Drug users may think they need more of a different drug to get a similar high, leading to overdoses. Carpenter said the public health unit is prepared should this happen.

"We are equipped with resources that support overdoses, if that does occur," she said. "We also supply Naloxone kits to be administered in case of overdoses."

Rehabilitation

Drug users may also choose to seek treatment. Mike Hannon, the director of the substance abuse disorder program at Westover Treatment Centre, said there's a lot of places to get help.

"Help is immediately available at any 12 step program, either AA or NA,"  he said. "So that's immediately available."

The region's drug of choice right now is crystal meth, which is inexpensive with a longer lasting high, said Hannon. Sometimes its laced with fentanyl, which causes many overdoses.

The centre requires people to be free of drugs and alcohol for a week before they can enter the 19-day program. There are signs that show drug users are going through a withdrawal, like sweating and irritability, but said often you have to be very close to the person to see the symptoms.

"The person basically has to reach out to let them know things aren't going well," Hannon said. "It's hard to pick that up by just observing them unless you're basically living with them."

Depending on the type of substance and how severely they are dependent on it, will impact their withdrawal effects. 

"If you're dealing with a withdrawal from opiates, it is best they get connected with withdrawal management, because there are some pretty severe physical signs of what's going to happen with that."