Today the Yukon Coroner and Acting Chief Medical Officer of Health issued a warning on fentanyl and opioid related deaths. The announcement comes on the heels of three fentanyl deaths between November 9th and November 30th.
From 2016 to 2018 the Yukon had 20 opioid related deaths, with 15 being specifically related to fentanyl. Acting Chief Medical Officer of Health for the Yukon, Dr. Andy Delli Pizzi says that trends in Yukon fentanyl deaths are similar to national numbers, but naturally smaller given the reduced population. Until November this year there had only been one recorded fentanyl death, but the 3 deaths in short succession this past November have cause concern for medical experts in the Territory.
Although currently information on which groups are being most affected is not available, Delli Pizzi pointed out that more research is required with respect to the effects on fentanyl on First Nations communities. Delli Pizzi pointed out that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls for governments to look at the differences in health outcomes between indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians. He says that it is important to recognize that colonial policies do create different health outcomes. Delli Pizzi says it will be essential to work with indigenous communities in the Yukon in order to understand how best to gather data on the effects of opioid and fentanyl on indigenous populations, as well as how to interpret that data and how to act on it.
Delli Pizzi spoke from a harm reduction stand point and highlighted services such as drug testing at Blood Ties in Whitehorse, the use of take-home naloxone kits and that those who are using should avoid doing so alone. He also says if people are using, they should be using a very small amount first, given how deadly fentanyl can be, and the difficulty in determining if other drugs contain fentanyl. Any one can access naloxone kits and they are available in health centres in Whitehorse and the communities.
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