Health officials in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark sound alarm over increasingly toxic drug supply
Nicole Williams | CBC News | Posted: March 14, 2024 8:00 AM | Last Updated: March 14
Region reports 21 drug-related visits to ERs in last 2 weeks, double typical number
The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit (LGLDHU) is warning of an increasingly toxic drug supply in the region after visits to its emergency rooms doubled in recent weeks.
In a news release issued Tuesday, health unit officials said there have been 21 drug poisoning-related visits to ERs in the last two weeks, twice as much as is typical for the area.
LGLDHU Medical Officer of Health Dr. Linna Li said drug addiction has been a growing issue in the community for years, but it's recent admissions to the ER and testing of the drug supply that has the health unit even more alarmed.
Like Belleville, Ont., and Ottawa, health officials in the LGLDHU have discovered the presence of xylazine in street drugs, a tranquilizer used by vets to control an animal's heart rate, blood pressure and breathing.
It can be very dangerous for humans, said Li, and its effects cannot be reversed by Naloxone, which is typically used to treat drug overdoses.
When xylazine is mixed with fentanyl, it's known as "tranq" or "zombie dope" and can cause painful wounds that lead to amputation.
"When we see a rise in overdoses, oftentimes it's because the balance of substances and these unregulated drugs is not what has been seen in the past," Li said, though the health unit doesn't yet know if there's a connection.
While Insp. Darryl Boyd with the Brockville Police Service couldn't comment on the specific presence of xylazine, he said the force has also seen a worrying increase in overdoses in the community.
He described it as "a never-ending battle" for front-line workers who are "operating at almost 50 to 60 calls for service a day some days."
Boyd added there's often not enough personnel "to get into these communities and help try and get them to connected to our community partners" that specialize in mental health and addictions issues.
Problem across Ontario
The LGLDHU is the latest health unit in eastern Ontario to raise the alarm over a growing number of overdoses and toxic drug supply.
The Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation declared a state of emergency over the opioid crisis in December because of a growing number of overdoses and deaths in that community. In February, Belleville, Ont., declared an addiction emergency after a surge in overdoses there.
Li said the rise in overdoses in the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark region are "one symptom of a deeper problem" regarding addictions and mental health.
"These are things that I think are complex to deal with, and also complex to intervene or to prevent," she said.
There are currently no supervised consumption sites in the region, but Li said "that is a topic of conversations both for the health unit as well as among partners in the region."
In response to CBC's request for comment, Ontario's Ministry of Health sent a letter written by Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore on Feb. 8, addressed to provincial public health officials following the overdoses in Belleville.
The letter urged health units to share information about the current risks of drug toxicity.
"We ask that you use this opportunity to review your response plans in the event of a large drug toxicity event, including processes in place to communicate and collaborate with your community drug strategy," wrote Moore.
"Please ensure your local drug strategy committee is active and meeting regularly."