Demand for naloxone training on the rise as opioid epidemic grips Canada
Off the heels of a warning by OPP for Simcoe County and Muskoka residents to be aware of potentially fatal opioids on city streets, the Canadian Red Cross says its Naloxone training is in high demand.
Provincial police warned four deaths in the region this month could stem from suspected opioid-related overdoses.
It's a similar story for Canadians coast to coast, with opioids and fentanyl forcing their way into mainstream discussion.
To help combat its dangers, the Canadian Red Cross offers in-person and online courses for those seeking Naloxone training, a life-saving medication that can counter the effects of opioid poisoning or overdose.
"Demand is starting to increase for wanting to know a bit more," said Shannon Scully-Pratt, First Aid expert in Barrie with the Canadian Red Cross. "There's a lot of stigmas that are around opiate poisonings, and so it's important to all Canadians to start destigmatizing it."
Scully-Pratt said one common misconception is that potentially fatal opioids will only affect drug users.
"That's just not true, however," she said. "Even Health Canada tells us that nine out of 10 opiate poisonings are accidental. This can impact anyone."
Richard King is a first aid instructor with the Red Cross. He said that notion hits close to home for him.
"My daughter went away for college; she keeps a naloxone kit at her place," King said. "It's just because she's so close to residents and feels by having it, she's more comfortable."
High-risk businesses in Ontario will be mandated to have naloxone by June 1.
Scully-Pratt said the Red Cross is looking to hold more training with businesses before that deadline nears.
Naloxone kits can also be ordered from the Red Cross for delivery or by visiting your nearest pharmacy.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.