Nova Scotia public health officer says response to opioid abuse is ‘urgent’
HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s public health officer has launched a multi-front battle against the eastward spread of the highly toxic painkiller fentanyl, which can kill with dosages the size of a grain of salt.
Robert Strang held meetings Friday with doctors, pharmacists and government officials to establish seven committees intended to avert the epidemic of deaths that has plagued western Canada as illicit versions of the drug have spread through the streets.
“The real risk is that people who are thinking they’re smoking a joint could be taking a fatal dose of fentanyl or another opioid with that,” said Strang in a news conference after the gathering in Halifax.
Strang also updated Nova Scotia figures on opioid deaths, saying so far this year there have been 49, with two of them from street versions of fentanyl and five from prescription versions of fentanyl.