Four suspected overdose-deaths in a 24-hour period over the weekend have advocates for a safe use site saying it's an awful way to illustrate their point.
Windsor Police Services assisted paramedics on several overdose-related calls Friday night to early Sunday morning. Police initially confirmed five suspected overdose-deaths, but learned one person had in fact survived after receiving medical attention.
Major Crimes investigates all "sudden deaths" to ensure there's no foul play involved, but The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act:
"Provides an exemption from charges of simple possession of a controlled substance as well as from charges concerning a pre-trial release, probation order, conditional sentence or parole violations related to simple possession for people who call 911 for themselves or another person suffering an overdose, as well as anyone who is at the scene when emergency help arrives."
The Windsor Overdose Prevention Society originally planned on opening a functional overdose prevention tent, but after police made it clear an unsanctioned site would not be allowed, the focus turned to educating the public instead.
Member Brandon Bailey tells AM800 News says many overdoses are the result of an unknown quantity of the powerful painkiller Fentanyl in street drugs.
"This problem is only getting bigger all the time and the drug supply is only getting dirtier out there. Nobody knows what's in their stuff. Luckily at the site we do have some fentanyl test strips," he says. "If we were allowed to do it and somebody were to stop by the site we would be able to test their drugs and be able to see if it has fentanyl in it or not."
Bailey says police kept a tight eye on the group's location on Victoria Ave. near Elliott St. W. for the first couple days and still make regular visits.
The group has been approached to use the site for its intended purpose, but Bailey says they will continue to keep their promise to law enforcement to only provide information to drug users and the public.
"We would love for them to say that they're not going to arrest us and be able to work with them to provide a site that would work well with the community...so that we don't have to have five more deaths in another 24-hour period," says Bailey. "We don't want to put anybody that's involved with us...at risk [of being arrested], with what we're allowed to do it still gives us the opportunity to get out there and create conversation."
Bailey says police in several major cities, including Toronto, have allowed unsanctioned overdose prevention sites to operate despite current legislation.
The group plans to continue its mock site for at least another week and is looking for opportunities to move to new locations to help educate the public.
An online survey has been launched by the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit to gather public input on the need for the sites and concerns around them. The survey is open until Dec. 17 for anyone over the age of 16.