Dr. Hanley wants to see safe supply, overdose prevention sites, and decriminalization of drugs as ways to prevent opioid deaths

Thursday, 22 April 2021 13:36

By Dylan MacNeil

Dr. Hanley speaking at this morning's press conference. (Facebook - Government of Yukon)

Two opioid overdose deaths earlier this month prompted a press conference this morning.

This morning, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Brendan Hanley along side Yukon's Chief Coroner Heather Jones, Whitehorse RCMP Detachment Commander Inspector Lindsay Elis, Kwanlin Dün First Nation Chief Doris Bill, and Blood Ties Four Directions Executive Director Bronte Renwick-Shields held a press conference to address the opioid crisis in the territory.

They are calling for swift action in response to two additional opioid overdose deaths earlier this month.

Jones started things off by talking numbers.

“The Yukon, like many other Canadian jurisdictions, has suffered greatly under what has been deemed the opioid crisis, which found it’s way to us in the spring of 2016. Since that time and to date, 40 individuals in the Yukon have lost their lives due to opioids. 80 percent of these deaths have involved fentanyl. And as is well known, we’ve seen significant increase in opioid deaths in 2020, with a total of ten deaths, compared to the four investigated in 2019. If my numbers are right, this translates to a 250 precent increase.” Says Jones.

Elis provided a view of the crisis from the Whitehorse RCMP’s perspective. She says carfentanil is in the territory.

“Two B.C residents were found in downtown Whitehorse with a total of almost 11 grams of carfentanil mixed with caffeine, packaged for distribution to our communities. The two were based out of a Whitehorse hotel to simply conduct drug transactions, and only had been in the Yukon for three weeks. While that is not new, what is new, is that we have confirmed the presence of carfentanil through our investigations.” Says Elis.

Carfentanil is approximately 100 times more toxic than fentanyl, 4000 times more potent than heroin and 10,000 times more toxic than morphine.

Dr. Hanley says sometimes it can seem like a losing battle but progress has been made.

“There’s little doubt that the opioid crisis here would have been much worse if it weren’t for the implementation and the expansions of interventions. So, for example, medical treatment for opioids, including the development of the suboxone program, a significantly expanded OATS, or opioid agonist treatment program, has improved substantially, the array of treatments available for individuals.” Says Dr. Hanley.

Hanley says past efforts are not enough though. He says the next government should look into a safe supply, overdose prevention sites, and decriminalization of drugs as ways to prevent opioid deaths.

Hanley says he wants to see a renewed opioid response plan that is budgeted and has goals and timelines.