Guelph and Wellington County have lost at least 40 community members to drug poisoning this year, including two young adults earlier this month.
There have been at least 352 serious but non-fatal drug poisonings in the community.
Last year, at least 62 people were lost to substances, and over 450 non-fatal drug poisonings occurred.
“We’re a community that’s grieving. These incidents are ongoing, and they have ongoing impacts for so many members of our community,” said Guelph Wellington Drug Strategy manager Jean Hopkins.
“Each person whose life has been lost to drug poisoning, they are loved and they are missed. As a community, we need to recognize that and do what we can do to keep people safe.”
That includes knowing how to prevent a drug poisoning and how to act if you witness one.
“Drug poisonings can happen really quickly, really unexpectedly, and that’s why we encourage people to ensure they’re not using alone,” she said.
If you witness one, Naloxone, or Narcan, can help to reduce harms and fatalities associated with opioid poisoning.
“Naloxone, also known as Narcan, temporarily blocks the effects of opioids on the brain and it can restore normal breathing, because within an opioid overdose, a person’s breathing can either slow down or stop.”
Anyone working in a health setting would be trained to use it, but it’s also free and widely available for community members to access.
“We don’t necessarily know what’s in our substances, but we do know that opioids are the leading cause of drug poisoning deaths,” she said. “In 2023, fentanyl was responsible for 86 per cent of all opioid deaths in Ontario.”
Local paramedics recently increased the amount of Naloxone carried onboard ambulances, and have administered it to 62 people this year, responding to 184 suspected opioid poisonings.
Still, due to the unpredictable nature of the unregulated drug supply, she said if someone in the community witnesses a drug poisoning, it’s important to call 911 to access immediate support from medical professionals, even after administering Naloxone.
She also stressed naloxone only works temporarily, and the effects of the opioids might actually last longer than the effects of naloxone, meaning someone could stop breathing again even if they’ve been given a dose.
“Drug poisonings can be complex, depending on what’s in the substance they’ve consumed. That means how we respond might look different.”
Sedatives like xylazine and benzodiazepines have been detected in the unregulated drug supply. Since they’re not opioids, naloxone doesn’t work on them.
Toronto’s drug checking service, which Hopkins said often reflects the drug supply in Guelph as well, found benzodiazapine-related drugs in 36 per cent of the tested fentanyl supply from Nov. 1 to 15. It provides an overview of what substances were found in 236 drug samples at the beginning of November, 2024.
Sixty-six per cent of expected fentanyl samples contained multiple high-potency opioids; six per cent contained xylazine.
Drugs can be anonymously tested at the Guelph Community Health Centre using the SCATR machine, a drug testing machine that provides information about what substances are in a small sample.
Hopkins said with the impending closure of the consumption site in March, the WGDS is looking to expand their public education initiatives to ensure the community has accurate information and knows how to use Naloxone, and what other steps they can take in responding to a drug poisoning.
Other suggestions include starting with a low dose, using the Consumption and Treatment Service Site, or calling the National Overdose Response Service, which is a free and anonymous service where people can call in and have someone on the line if they are using alone.
“This is ongoing. This is harming our community. There are so many people that are grieving, and as with any health issue, we know that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work, and we need to meet people’s individual needs,” she said.