Northern Health to provide Toxic Drug Alert Texts as part of their information program

With a number of recent Toxic Drug advisories issued in recent weeks, Northern Health is adding to its resources to get word out over the volume of dangerous concoctions out there in our communities.

The system uses text messaging to send alerts as a public health measure to prevent drug poisonings and deaths and provides timely information and up-to-date resources to people who use drugs and community members.

The program was hailed on Thursday by Jennifer Whiteside, the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions who observed as to how the text program will be one more tool for use by health officials.

“As the toxic drug crisis continues to take lives, we need every tool in the toolbox to keep people safer. Drug alerts in Northern communities means that more people will be able to take advantage of this critical tool to reduce their risk of drug poisonings and death.”

On Thursday, Northern Health outlined how the program will work:

People who use drugs, those who support them, and community members are encouraged to opt-in for toxic drug alerts by texting the keyword JOIN to ALERTS (253787). 

They will receive toxic drug and drug poisoning alerts and public health alerts. The Toxic Drug and Health Alerts system also allows subscribers to anonymously submit information that Harm Reduction teams can use to make alerts as informative as possible. 

This includes information such as the dates and locations of drug overdoses, physical descriptions of the drug and packaging, where the substance was purchased, and what it is believed to be – and can be submitted by texting using the keyword OD.

Learn more about the announcement here.

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