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Ontario to Provide Free Naloxone Kits to At Risk Workplaces

Wednesday, 14 December 2022 09:56

By Marcie Culbert

Select workplaces will have to have the free naloxone kits on site as of June 1st, 2023. This includes construction sites, bars, and nightclubs.

ONTARIO - The Ford Government is going to provide free naloxone kits and free training to select workplaces in Ontario.

The program is for workplaces where the staff members are at a higher risk of witnessing or experiencing an opioid overdose. A total of 2,819 people died of an opioid overdose in Ontario last year, and about 30 percent of them worked in construction. Officials have also noticed an increase in opioid usage in bars and nightclubs because recreational drugs are often linked with fentanyl or carfentanil.

Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development Monte McNaughton says the free naloxone kit program is all part of the Ford Government's plan to address the opioid epidemic in Ontario.

"Ontario, like the rest of Canada, is in the middle of an opioid epidemic made worse by a toxic supply of recreational street drugs. That’s why our government is the first in North America to require naloxone kits be accessible in at-risk workplaces by June 1, 2023, to raise awareness for those struggling with addiction, reduce stigma and save lives."

The program will last for up to two years and workplaces to click here to find out if they are eligible.

Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. It can restore breathing within two or five minutes so the patient can receive medical attention.

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