B.C. overdose strategy seeks greater access to life-saving medication

VANCOUVER – A British Columbia committee that works to prevent drug overdoses in the province has released measures aimed at reducing deadly opioid overdoses across the province.

The BC Drug Overdose and Alert Partnership strategy includes several key recommendations.

Among them is a call for easier access to naloxone, the drug that effectively reverses the effects of opioids, restoring breathing within two to five minutes.

The strategy also recommends making naloxone a non-prescription medication to allow family and friends of those at risk of overdosing to easily obtain the drug.

Last year, 465 apparent illicit drug overdose deaths were reported in B.C., a 27 per cent increase over the 366 deaths in 2014.

The strategy finds most of the overdose deaths were due to opioids such as heroin or fentanyl, and it notes B.C.’s annual mortality rate due to illicit drug overdoses leaped 50 per cent between 2010 and 2015.