By The Canadian Press

Alberta government explores setting up safe sites to reduce fentanyl overdoses

Oct 27, 2016 | 2:43 PM

EDMONTON — The Alberta government is taking the war on fentanyl abuse to the next level, exploring a plan to set up safe, supervised opioid consumption sites.

Brandy Payne, Alberta’s associate minister of health, says an Edmonton agency will get a $230,000 grant to explore and make an application to the federal government for an exemption under drug laws to allow a safe site to be set up.

People usually either inject fentanyl or snort ground-up pills that contain the drug.

Another $500,000 will go to six other Alberta communities where needle exchange programs are in place to assess their need for opioid consumption sites.

The province is already spending millions of dollars for new drug treatment spaces and naloxone kits to prevent overdoses and plans to expand access to opioid replacement therapy and improve prescription drug monitoring.

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So far this year 193 Albertans have died due to apparent drug overdoses related to fentanyl, compared with 205 deaths during the same period in 2015.

The Canadian Press