Health Canada recently issued a statement warning incoming university students about the dangers of opioid use.
The statement was released in anticipation of university orientation week, and advises students to learn to recognize the symptoms of an opioid overdose. The statement urges students to call 911 if they suspect an overdose.
It also recommended that university event organizers and volunteers carry naloxone, a potentially life-saving drug which temporarily reverses the symptoms of opioid overdose.
These symptoms include difficulty staying awake, slow and weak breathing, small pupils, and extreme drowsiness.
According to researchers at the St. Michael’s Hospital and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, one in nine deaths of young adults aged 15-24 in Ontario were opioid-related by 2015.
Considering the extent of opioid-related deaths in university-aged adults, it is important that Carleton students learn to recognize the symptoms of an opioid overdose—doing so can save lives. Training is offered by local Ontario public health units and community organizations for free.
In the case of a suspected overdose on campus, students can reach Campus Safety at 613-520-3612.
