‘We need help’: Petition launched to declare public health emergency after 15 drug-related deaths

Maralee speaks with Arlene Last-Kolb about recent deaths linked to a toxic drug supply in Winnipeg and calls for a public health emergency to address drug use.

An alarming jump in drug-related deaths has prompted a drug awareness advocate to petition the province to declare a public health emergency.

Over the last two weeks, 15 people in Winnipeg have died in relation to drug usage, according to Arlene Last-Kolb’s petition on Change.org.

“It’s extremely concerning. I would say a crisis,” Last-Kolb said in an interview with CTV News on Friday.

On Thursday, she launched a petition calling on the province’s chief medical officer to declare a public health emergency to mobilize resources, coordinate to implement “comprehensive strategies,” and engage the community in a “unified effort.”

Sunshine House, a resource centre focused on harm reduction in Winnipeg, previously said the drug mixture known as “down” contains medetomidine – also known as mede, a veterinary tranquillizer suppressing breathing and inducing sedation – and opioids. In such cases, naloxone cannot fully reverse the overdoses and requires help from paramedics.

• RELATED STORY: Manitoba agency warns of recent deaths linked to toxic drug supply

Last-Kolb, who is also a member of Moms Stop The Harm and Overdose Awareness Manitoba, said services and community members used a significant amount of naloxone and witnessed that people are not responding to it.

“It’s a very critical time for Manitobans,” she said. ”We know that if this many people are dying, there will be more unless we act.”

In 2014, Last-Kolb lost her son due to a fentanyl overdose. She said it feels like she’s “right back at that place again,” with a different drug.

“It’s something that I live with every day. The loss of a child is so incredibly hard,” she said.

“Since our son died, hundreds of people have died and we can’t get our way out of these street drugs.

“We need help.”

More information about the petition is available online.

With files from CTV News’ Maralee Caruso and Kayla Rosen