# data[].attributes.body
- Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid and like all other opioids, is extremely addictive
- It is available by prescription and is used to manage chronic pain
- Fentanyl can be found as a patch, pill, or powder
- Other drugs that are used recreationally are often cut with fentanyl thereby causing accidental deaths amongst individuals
- An accidental fentanyl overdose is what killed singer/songwritter Prince

Sidner, S. (2017) Fentanyl: The powerful opioid that killed Prince. CNN. Retrieved from https://www.google.ca/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2016/05/10/health/fentanyl-new-heroin-deadlier/index.html?source=images

# data[].attributes.body
- Fentanyl use is on the rise
- Many users are unaware that their drug of choice is laced with fentanyl
- The fentanyl crisis is not localized to one area of Canada

# data[].attributes.headline
Fentanyl Related Deaths in December 2017

# data[].attributes.subject
Fentanyl Related Deaths in December 2017

# data[].attributes.body
Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses. National report: Apparent opioid-related deaths in Canada (January 2016 to June 2017) Web-based Report. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada; 2017. Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/apparent-opioid-related-deaths-report-2016-2017-december.html

# data[].attributes.body
- Two injectable doses of naloxone
- All equipment needed to administer it safelty
- Card identifying who is trained to use the kit

Recognize and temporarily reverse an opioid overdose. (2018, April 30). Retrieved July 29, 2018, from https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-naloxone-kits-free

# data[].attributes.body
- Helps users detect the presence of fentanyl in their drug of choice
- Does not quantify the amount of fentanyl in a drug

Fentanyl Drug Test Strip Kit by BTNX Inc. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.180smoke.ca/fentanyl-drug-test-strip

# data[].attributes.body
- So far in 2018, 1460 naloxone kits have been distributed
- In 2017, 87 Hamilton users died of an opioid overdose
- Hamilton has an overdose rate that is 72% higher than that of Ontario’s
- Blue Heroin is a highly toxic fentanyl laced heroin that is distributed throughout the city

Nero, Mark. (March 24, 2017). Benicia Police: Parolee Caught With Blue Meth, Heroin, Burglary Tools. Bernicia Patch. Retrieved from https://patch.com/california/benicia/benicia-police-catch-parolee-blue-meth-heroin-burglary-tools

# data[].attributes.body
- Two nasal spray doses of naloxone
- All equipment needed to administer it safely
- Card identifying who is trained to use the kit

Recognize and temporarily reverse an opioid overdose. (2018, April 30). Retrieved July 29, 2018, from https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-naloxone-kits-free

# data[].attributes.body
- Smokey D (a.k.a Jamie Hardy) is known for his mural paintings related to the negative effects of fentanyl
- He paints his murals in alleyways where people use drugs in order to raise awareness as a recovering addict himself and feels that "bright colors are good in a dark place"
- Oftentimes incorporates the most recent number of deaths related to fentanyl in his art pieces

Eagland, Nick. (January 4, 2017). Downtown Eastside graffiti artist Smokey D sheds light on fentanyl’s gloomy toll. Vancouver Sun. Retrieved from https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/downtown-eastside-graffiti-artist-smokey-d-sheds-light-on-fentanyls-gloomy-toll

# data[].attributes.body
Island Health. (2017, December 22). Fentanyl Test Strips [video file]. Retrieved from https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pWqITKve-Ak

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Fentanyl Test Strips are now available at supervised consumption and overdose prevention sites throughout Vancouver Island. These strips can detect if #fentanyl is present in the drug being tested. More about overdose prevention at www.viha.ca/mho/overdose

# data[].attributes.body
- Safe area for users to inject their drugs using clean supplies and under the supervision of healthcare professionals
- First one built was in Vancouver, British Columbia in 2003 called "Insite"
- Some people choose not to use the facility and actually sit right outside of it as they claim its a "hassle"

Wiart, Nikki. (August 17, 2016). Why Canada has so few supervised injection sites. Maclean’s. Retrieved from https://www.macleans.ca/society/health/why-there-are-so-few-supervised-injection-sites/

# data[].attributes.body
- Vancouver established a women-only injection site called "SisterSpace"
- Women report feeling more comfortable here vs mixed gendered sites
- Men account for 4/5 opioid related deaths
- Males in British Columbia responsible for 85% of opioid overdoses

Todd, Douglas. (January 18, 2017). Fentanyl Deaths: 4 of 5 are males, mostly young. Vancouver Sun. Retrieved from https://vancouversun.com/news/staff-blogs/4-of-5-fentanyl-deaths-are-males-what-do-we-make-of-it

# data[].attributes.body
(n.d.) We are the Drug Policy Alliance. Overdose Awareness. Retrieved from http://www.drugpolicy.org/EndOverdose

# data[].attributes.body
- Doug Ford disagrees with supervised injection sites as he feels they promote drug addiction rather than prevent it
- British Columbia's addiction minister argues in favor of decriminalizing fentanyl in an effort to prevent deaths from the recreational use of the substance
- Ontario's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, said "decriminalization is not the approach Canada will take to deal with deadly overdoses often involving the opioid fentanyl”
- As different politicians express their views on addiction, funding for harm-reduction measures changes
- Some politicians do not view harm-reduction measures to be worth the expense

Doel, David. (April 24, 2018). Injection Sites Save Lives, And Doug Ford Is Against Them. The Rational National. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15BXhYBYQRE

# data[].attributes.body
The Canadian Press. (June 28, 2017). Health Canada will allow imports of opioid dependency treatment drugs. Maclean’s. Retrieved from https://www.macleans.ca/society/health-canada-will-allow-imports-of-opioid-dependency-treatment-drugs/

# data[].attributes.body
Lawrence, Grant. (August 28, 2017). DTES graffiti artist Smokey D. earns permission to pain opioid crisis memorial. Vancouver Courier. Retrieved from https://www.vancourier.com/news/dtes-graffiti-artist-smokey-d-earns-permission-to-paint-opioid-crisis-memorial-1.22230894

# data[].attributes.headline
Inside Look at How Supervised Injection Sites Function

# data[].attributes.subject
Inside Look at How Supervised Injection Sites Function

# data[].attributes.body
Jauncey, Marianne. (November 18, 2017). Sydney: How does a Supervised Injecting Room work? Global Platform for Drug Consumption Rooms. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV7FB3MeKfQ&t=54s

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Global Platform for Drug Consumption Rooms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sydney: How does a Supervised Injecting Room work?

# data[].attributes.body
- Testing strips are arguably the best preventative measure as they are used BEFORE a user ingests a substance
- If the strip is positive for fentanyl, most users will take precautions to be prepared in the event of an overdose
- These precautions often include: naloxone kit on standby, using with a partner, or choosing to use that drug at a supervised injection site
- Testing strips are the best solution to the fentanyl crisis because they not only inform a user of potential risks but lead to the use of other harm-reduction measures

# data[].attributes.body
- Improper disposal of fentanyl can cause major issues to the water supply and the safety of a community
- Even the smallest doses of fentanyl left in a needle after use can kill children and pets, and be extremely hazardous to the health of adults
- Excess fentanyl needs to be disposed of properly as does the equipment used to take the drug
- Supervised injection sites dispose of all unused fentanyl safely as well as needles and other equipment used to inject

Safe Disposal of Fentanyl Patches. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.bcpharmacists.org/fentanyl-patches

# data[].attributes.body
- Nearly 100,000 Naloxone kits handed out costs approximately $5 million
- Nasal spray naloxone = $125 - $145
- Injectable naloxone = $30 - $70
- Although this can be costly, supervised injection sites have shown to save $17.6 million in lifetime medical expenses

# data[].attributes.body
- Fentanyl testing strips are not always accurate
- The part of the drug a user tests with the strips may contain no traces of fentanyl while another portion could
- Users who get false results from testing strips are at a much higher risk of a fentanyl overdose
- Supervised injection sites provide clean equipment to use and as a result, they reduce the risk of HIV and HPV
- A Montreal study found that 11 cases of HIV and 65 cases of HPV could be prevented per site per year

# data[].attributes.body
Lawrence, Grant. (August 28, 2017). DTES graffiti artist Smokey D. earns permission to pain opioid crisis memorial. Vancouver Courier. Retrieved from https://www.vancourier.com/news/dtes-graffiti-artist-smokey-d-earns-permission-to-paint-opioid-crisis-memorial-1.22230894

# data[].attributes.headline
Lethal Dose of Fentanyl Compared to that of Heroin

# data[].attributes.subject
Lethal Dose of Fentanyl Compared to that of Heroin

# data[].attributes.body
Bond, Allison. (September 29, 2016). Why fentanyl is deadlier than heroin, in a single photo. STAT. Retrieved from https://www.statnews.com/2016/09/29/why-fentanyl-is-deadlier-than-heroin/