The statistics are staggering.
Sarnia Lambton's death rate from fentanyl use is four-and-a-half times higher than the provincial average. Five people died from overdoses in 2013, the same number as in London which is three times the population of Sarnia-Lambton.
The Sarnia Police Services will implement a Fentanyl Patch-4-Patch program beginning in August. The program is not yet mandatory, but all Sarnia Lambton pharmacies are being asked to participate.
Detective Constable Michael Howell says the initiative aims to control street sales of the potent synthetic opioid through a "one patch in, one patch out" model for administering the medication.
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Fentanyl is 100 times more potent than morphine and 40 times more potent than heroin. Illicit users of fentanyl will extract gel from the patches to eat, smoke, or inject into their bodies.
Altered patches will not be accepted for further medication administration within the program.
