Drug Overdoses A Major Problem In North

The Northwestern Health Unit says this area is leading in a number of categories when it comes to drug overdoses.
Public Health Nurse Kim Elke says last year the region saw 56-deaths due to overdoses compared to 48 in motor vehicle collisions.
In some cases drug overdoses are 8-times higher than the rest of the province.
Elke says Oxycontin is the leading cause of opiate addiction even though it was pulled off the drug list in March 2012.
She notes people addicted to Oxy have now moved to morphine and hydromorphone.
Elke says the Health Unit does provide an antidote with drug kits to help cure an overdose.