Purple putty-like heroin believed to cause overdose in Ottawa
Posted Jun 5, 2018 08:27:00 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Ottawa Police Service officers have revived a man, believed to have overdosed after ingesting a purple putty-like heroin.
Police found a man in his 50s with no vital signs around 11 a.m. Tuesday in Vanier.
The officers used their service-issued naloxone — a medication used to reverse opioid-related overdoses.
The man was taken to hospital where he is in stable condition.
The heroin in a putty-like substance has been found throughout Ontario, and has prompted warnings from Ottawa Public Health and The Ottawa Police Service.
Recent analysis of the substance, seized locally, found it contained heroin and fentanyl.
Police added that being able to recognize the signs of an overdose quickly and having a naloxone kit can save a life, although take-home naloxone kits do not replace the need for emergency care or minimize the importance of calling 911.
Take-home naloxone kits are available for free at pharmacies and other agencies in Ottawa. The kit comes with training on overdose prevention, recognizing an overdose and how to respond.
For more information on fentanyl, please visit www.StopOverdoseOttawa.ca.
