(Image Credit: CFJC Today / Kent Simmonds)

By Dylana Kneeshaw

ADDICTION TREATMENT

Kamloops addiction treatment services seeing growth in resources and overdose prevention knowledge

Feb 21, 2020 | 4:48 PM

KAMLOOPS — The latest statistics around overdose fatalities in the province have not been made available yet, however medical professionals and frontline overdose prevention workers say there have been improvements made in the addiction treatments, and keeping the public informed.

Addiction physicians in the Kamloops area have been keeping up to date with the latest ways medicine can be used to assist in addiction treatment and recovery.

Certain drugs can be used to assist in addiction recovery and can help manage cravings for people who use drugs. Traditionally, addiction patients treated with products like Suboxone have to go to a pharmacy every day for a dose.

Dr. Orlando Passerin with the Interior Chemical Dependency Office says new methods such as longer term implants, and monthly Sublocade injections are making it easier for people to commit to a treatment plan.

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“With this new product, it’s a once a month injection,” he explains. “Which is great because a lot of our patients have chaotic lifestyles and sometimes getting to the pharmacy every day is pretty challenging. So with this product, its a subcutaneous injection. It’s good for any dose between 8 and 24 mg, and its good for a month.”

(Image Credit: CFJC Today / Kent Simmonds)

The new method is just becoming available to patients in Kamloops, and currently is not covered under basic health plans, but Passerin says he’s hopeful it will be soon.

Along with better access to counselling, Passerin says there have been improvements beyond medication in the healing process.

“I think in Kamloops, over the past couple years I’ve seen a lot of positive changes in terms of increased housing for our most vulnerable patients, which wasn’t available before. They’re having access to meals, so their basic needs are being met,” he explains. “And I’m seeing better access to counselling for them as well, which I’m really happy about.”

Passerin adds that most people use substances due to previous trauma or other issues in their lives, and addressing struggles with counselling can be extremely beneficial.

Front line treatment will also see a boost next month, with a chemical dependency team of doctors set to begin working out of Royal Inland Hospital.

“So what that means is there’s actually going to be an in patient addiction service at the hospital, so it’s needed, and it’s about time.”

Between the three offices in Kamloops, Passerin says there are about a dozen people signed up to be on the treatment team.

“In terms of what’s been happening, there has been a lot more awareness for people’s struggles, and addiction medicine. It’s provided more resources into helping people who are struggling.”

BC Emergency Health Services data shows there were 83 9-1-1 calls in January for potential overdoses in Kamloops. A sizable increase compared to the monthly average of 50 calls.

This data doesn’t reflect whether the increase is from more overdose incidents, or due to more people calling in. Regardless, doctors figure people have become more informed about how to handle overdose situations.

“I think everybody has got a Narcan kit, and everybody is aware,” says Passerin. “And they know if you use, to not use alone because it’s going to be your friend that is going to save you.”

Passerin adds that for many of his patients, it’s not uncommon for them to have been treated with Naloxone once or twice in the past.

Part of that information increase comes from take home fentanyl test strips becoming widely available in the Interior. ASK Wellness in Kamloops has been giving out the free packets two at a time, and Street Outreach Worker Christopher Wright says there’s been a positive response from clients.

“Very easy to read. You literally take just a little grain like a rice grain, of your drug, put it in 30 mls of water, and you take out the test strip, it’ll show you and you see the lines and everything. And you just hold it in for about a minute.”

The strips don’t measure how much fentanyl is in a substance, but notifies whoever is using the strip of fentanyl being present in the drug.

Wright says there has been an increased interest from people who want to test their drugs beforehand — both with the testing machine they have available at ASK, and with the strips.

“There’s quite a bit more, like it has jumped in the last couple months — people coming in and taking the test strips,” he says. “I don’t think a lot of people knew about the test strips, or that you could take them home and test your drugs at home.”

While those involved in overdose prevention and addiction treatments are working hard, Dr. Passerin reminds people who use substances of how dangerous the drug supply still is.

“The reality of overdose, accidental overdose, and death is there every time you use.”