WINNIPEG — The provincial government is planning to introduce measures to battle the growing number of opioid overdoses in Manitoba.
In Monday’s throne speech the government committed to “a renewed focus on public education measures to counteract the the current serious opioid crisis facing Manitoba and other provinces and to warn Manitobans about the dangers of fentanyl-laced drugs.”
“They don’t understand the full totality of that risk if it’s mixed with fentanyl so we’ll work to provide that education,” said Kelvin Goertzen, Manitoba Health Minister, about how the education program will include information about the possibility of laced drugs.
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Goertzen is also looking to get Naloxone, the anti-overdose drug for fentanyl and carfentanil, out to rural areas by January 1.
“We want to expand the use or accessability of naloxone but we dont’ want to send the message that somehow this is going to make what is inherently is a dangerous practice less dangerous,” he said.
The throne speech was delivered on the same day Winnipeg police held a news conference about two sudden deaths over the weekend believed to be caused by fentanyl overdoses.
The government also signaled they’d be developing a strategy to improve accessibility and coordination of addictions programs across the province.
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