Sudbury cops say they need fentanyl antidote to save lives

Both authorities and addicts say that fentanyl packs a potent—  but deadly — punch.

Now the drug has made its way onto Sudbury's streets, and police are making sure they are ready to deal with its effects.

Fentanyl can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled in the air, which puts police at greater risk of coming into contact with the drug.

The new concern for police is that they can be accidentally exposed, said Detective Sergeant James Killeen of the Greater Sudbury Police Services. But that may be easier said than done.

He wants to see naloxone, the drug's antidote, made available to officers.

"Something to be implemented would have to go into our budget. Naloxone is a spray that has an expiry date on it. So that's constantly going to have to get renewed, but it's kind of hard to put a price on saving somebody's life," Killeen said.

"Naloxone is going to be basically an instant remedy that they can take. It`s a nasal spray they can just spray up their nose and it`ll counteract the effects of the fentanyl."

Finding someone caught in a fentanyl overdose can be gruesome, Killeen said, and officers also need the training and possible fix to save lives.

"It's something that we're just going to have to learn to adapt to and incorporate that as regular equipment for a police officer," he said.

Killeen is in the process of writing the proposal to request funding for the naloxone, and any other equipment required to prevent exposure to fentanyl.

Currently Peterborough is the only community in Ontario to supply its police officers with naloxone.