North Cowichan is considering using nasal naloxone in addition to naloxone injections to help those who have opioid overdoses in the municipality.
CAO Ted Swabey said at the council meeting on May 7 that staff will look into the issue after North Cowichan received a latter from Evan Howatson, executive director of the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions’ overdose emergency response team.
Howatson said that, as the toxic drug crisis persists in B.C., the ministry continues to work urgently to expand access to naloxone, which reverses the effects of opioid poisoning.
He said naloxone is available in two forms, injectable and nasal, and both are effective at reversing opioid poisoning.
“But nasal naloxone may be a preferred choice in some workplace settings given its ease of use,” Howatson said.
Coun. Mike Caljouw, who brought the letter forward for discussion at the council meeting, said he’s totally in support of adding nasal naloxone kits to North Cowichan’s arsenal in its ongoing battle against the opioid crisis.
He said that during the municipal election in 2022 while he was putting up election signs, he came across a young man who was passed out on the street on drugs.
“I called 911 and, thankfully, they were just down the road and they were there in three minutes,” Caljouw said.
“They gave him two naloxone shots which did almost nothing for him, and then a police officer showed up to the call and he gave him nasal naloxone up his nose and he instantly woke up out of his fentanyl-induced coma.”
Caljouw said that he believes having nasal-naloxone kits available in North Cowichan is very important.
“I think there are certain applications in the municipality where we could apply this, like at the Cowichan Aquatic Centre that has a lot of transient, homeless people moving through the area going from one side of the town to the other,” he said.
In his letter, Howatson said the ministry is implementing a one-time no-cost initiative to distribute 10 nasal-naloxone kits to publicly funded organizations where a toxic-drug event may occur.
He said the kits are intended for use by staff in the course of their work duties, and some organizations that routinely use naloxone may order quantities beyond the 10 that they expect to use by the expiry date of February, 2026.
Swabey said he will review the letter from the ministry with health and safety staff in the municipality, and decisions will be made based on safety standards and what strategies other local governments are undertaking to deal with their opioid issues.
Mayor Rob Douglas said that while the ministry is offering a one-time opportunity for North Cowichan to acquire 10 free nasal-naloxone kits, the municipality may be able to get more if it makes a persuasive case for doing so.
