Health authority making take-home kits of hard drug antidote available

You can’t cure an addict that’s dead.

That’s why the Saskatchewan Health Authority is making available take-home kits of Naloxone, an antidote that counteracts the effects of opioids like heroin, morphine, fentanyl and oxycodone.

As of Jan. 29, the kits are available free of charge at mental health and addiction services in Tisdale, Melfort and Nipawin.

Kyle Stroeder, the manager of mental health and addiction services out of Nipawin, said the program is a harm reduction strategy aimed at preventing deaths.

“We’ve been streamlining it so they have to touch base with one of our addictions counsellors. We’re going to give them some education, we’re going to teach them about addiction a bit, we’re going to give some ideas,” he said. “Ultimately, we’d love it if none of them used, but we understand the people are going to continue to use even after they get some education, so we want them to be as safe as possible.”

Stroeder said he understands it’s hard for a lot of people to wrap their mind around being a safe drug user, but it’s about making sure they don’t become another statistic.

“We want people to access these, we want parents to access these, we want friends to be able to access these for people who are abusing,” he said

The provincial ministry of health has provided $50,000 for take-home Naloxone programs all over the province. Similar programs have been implemented in other provinces, like B.C.

“The government felt that for us now, with the scares that there have been with fentanyl abuse and the fentanyl issue that plagues Western Canada, that they would start getting on board with this program.”

There are more plans for more places in the Northeast to pick up the kits, but health professionals will have to be trained first.

Naloxone itself is not addictive and it does nothing unless you are suffering from opiate poisoning or overdose.

The antidote does not replace the need for emergency care after an overdose.

Those interested in accessing a kit or training are encouraged to contact mental health and addictions in Melfort at 306-752-8767.

Stroeder said he’s pleased to have the kits available in the Northeast.

“I think it’s a big win for the area, for us to have these kits.”