The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit released a concerning public service announcement on Tuesday, September 29, warning of a sudden surge in drug overdoses in the district. “Between September 13 and September 26, 2026, 16 overdoses have been reported across the Nipissing and Parry Sound Districts that involved unknown opioids, fentanyl, and crack cocaine combined with unknown substances. Of the 16 overdoses, two resulted in death,” reads the “community drug alert”. The announcement was subsequently shared on the Anishinabek Police Service’s social media page, highlighting its urgency.
The Health Unit advised people using substances to take extra precautions, and mentioned some unusual reactions reported by community partners. Specifically, they point to reports of “seizures after using substances including crack cocaine and fentanyl.”
The public health organisation listed the extra precautions it recommends to drug users, like “making sure to have drug testing strips, using in a safe place, and with people you trust, avoiding the mixing of substances, pacing yourself and knowing your tolerance.” The Health Unit also advised people to have a naloxone kit on-hand, and to ensure it is well-stocked. The Health Unit website features a supply map for drug testing kits at https://ohrdp.ca/find-supplies/, and information about pharmacies who can distribute naloxone kits at https://www.ontario.ca/page/where-get-free-naloxone-kit.
