Boring Victoria
City earns distinction as a really boring place Page A3
COMMUNITY: Students know how to talk it up /A4 BUSINESS: Changes on horizon for Monday /A7 ARTS: Artists collaborate for Cedar Hill showing /A14
VICTORIANEWS Wednesday, June 5, 2013
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Fentanyl-related deaths spark health warning Spike in prescription drug on streets leads to eight deaths in Greater Victoria Daniel Palmer News staff
Provincial health officials are warning of a potent prescription drug on the streets responsible for at least eight deaths in the Capital Region so far this year. Fentanyl, an opiate used for pain control, is believed to be a contributing factor in 23 deaths across the province in the first four n Sometimes referred months of 2013, according to the B.C. Coroto as synthetic heroin, ners Service. fentanyl is 80 times There were 20 deaths connected to the drug more potent than in B.C. in all of 2012. morphine. (Source: Victoria police Const. Mike Russell said offiEuropean Monitoring cers have noticed a spike in fentanyl use in Centre for Drugs and the city, and remain concerned when any new Addiction) drug hits local streets. “We are aware of its use,” he said. n Fentanyl is normally Dr. Perry Kendall, provincial health officer, used for intense chronic issued a provincewide warning to emergency pain that cannot be room doctors and paramedics on Wednesday, treated by morphine after a meeting with the coroner’s office, police or oxycodone, and is officers, public health officials and toxicolocommonly used in gists. cancer treatment. “It’s a very, very, very potent narcotic,” Kenn The drug is usually dall said. administered in patch The Vancouver Police Department and or lozenge form, but RCMP are reporting a spike in clandestine can appear as a white lab production of the drug, usually in powder powder. form, he said. Matt Brown, Island regional coroner, confirmed eight deaths have occurred in the Capital Region, but said he can’t discuss specifics due to ongoing investigations.
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Proud accomplishment Swarni Bhangu gives her grandson Raman Bhangu a big hug before the Esquimalt secondary school graduation ceremony at the University of Victoria Farquar Auditorium last week.
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PlEASE SEE: Province faces growing substance abuse problem, Page A16