Drug and Alcohol Use During Orientation Week

Issue

OTTAWA – For college students getting into university and colleges throughout Canada, orientation 7 days is an remarkable time to get to know your new school, classmates and roommates. While functions in the course of orientation 7 days are a wonderful way to rejoice, they can present security challenges, specifically when it will come to the use of liquor and medicine.

You might previously be mindful of the challenges related to drinking alcoholic beverages. However, you might not have read as considerably about the pitfalls associated with the use of opioids. With the ongoing opioid disaster in Canada, the Authorities of Canada proceeds to elevate the degree of recognition of the dangers involved with drug use and to teach persons on how to realize the signals of an opioid overdose.

Here are some recommendations that can assist lower the possible harms associated with drug and alcohol use:

What you really should do

• Recognize that any unlawful drug can be tainted with other risky substances, these kinds of as fentanyl and carfentanil, which can direct to overdose and even dying.
• Be knowledgeable that individuals who use medications and liquor can be at an elevated danger of sexual assault.
• Under no circumstances leave your consume unattended and do not accept beverages, even water, from anyone you never know.
• Do not mix medicine or mix drugs with liquor.
• In no way use prescription drugs by yourself and remain with your mates and folks you belief.
• If you opt for to use medication and are examining them with a test kit, know that examination kits have restrictions for detecting perilous substances.
• Be knowledgeable of the risks of drugs and alcoholic beverages.

Identify signs of an opioid overdose:

It is believed that there were 4,000 apparent opioid-connected deaths in Canada in 2017, as opposed to 3,000 fatalities in 2016. Find out the indications of an opioid overdose:

• difficulty remaining awake, walking or speaking
• extremely smaller pupils
• chilly and clammy skin
• slow and weak respiratory
• choking and
• extraordinary drowsiness or incapability to wake up.

If an individual looks unwell and you suspect that they may well have overdosed:

• Do not leave them on your own. Keep with them and immediately connect with for assistance from orientation 7 days volunteers and other unexpected emergency contacts.
• Call 9-1-1 or your regional emergency aid line if you consider anyone is suffering from a drug or alcohol overdose.
• Have naloxone, which can temporarily reverse an opioid overdose, if you or someone you know makes use of medications. If you are with another person who is possessing an opioid overdose, observe the directions on the naloxone kit and administer it suitable absent. Many pharmacists, group businesses or neighborhood general public health units give schooling in the good use of naloxone. Administering naloxone is not going to harm anyone who is not overdosing.
• Keep until finally enable arrives. The Great Samaritan Drug Overdose Act guards folks from basic drug possession rates and some violations of disorders related to uncomplicated possession when looking for crisis enable for the duration of an overdose predicament.

Campus organizers and school and university officials

Notify your volunteers and pupil companies of recommendations that can help minimize the likely for hurt though employing prescription drugs and liquor. A selection of methods, together with the opioid overdose wallet card, are available for free from Wellness Canada. Use them and distribute them broadly. You can support conserve a existence.

Study more at Canada.ca/Opioids. Jointly we can #StopOverdoses.

Wellbeing Canada
(613) 957-2983

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