Deaths confirmed to be opioid related

Police have confirmed what was suspected — the three overdose deaths that occurred within two days at the end of February were the result of opioid use.

The publicity surrounding the deaths of three Timmins residents in two separate tragedies sparked sudden public awareness of the dangers of purple fentanyl.

All three deceased individuals were adults.

Opioid use was suspected the cause of the deaths at the time based on evidence found at the scene.

However, the Timmins Police Service had been waiting for confirmation to be received from the Centre of Forensic Sciences.

Marc Depatie, Timmins Police Service spokesman, told The Daily Press on Tuesday the centre provided the lab results they were expecting.

Fentanyl, a highly addictive pain medication, is an opioid that’s 100 times more powerful than heroin, while carfentanyl is 5,000 times more potent. Purple fentanyl is a playdough-like mixture of heroin and either fentanyl or carfentanyl.

Reports of fentanyl-laced heroin in this area prompted the Porcupine Health Unit several months ago to issue a public alert, warning of the increase in overdoses connected to this substance.

The health unit, in its alert, urged anyone who uses illicit substances or even their friends or family to get a free Naloxone kit from any Porcupine Health Unit office or from most pharmacies. Naloxone is a potentially life-saving medication used in the event of drug overdose.