Lunenburg County Community Health Board
Fishermen's Memorial Hospital B0P 1J0 Lunenburg, NS, Canada

Public Health received a report from the RCMP that a recent sample from Nova Scotia that was tested at the National Drug Analysis Service laboratory was positiv...e for Flualprazolam. Flualprazolam is a benzodiazepine, similar to alprazolam (aka Xanax, Xanny). According to the WHO, relative to other benzodiazepines, Flualprazolam is highly potent with a short onset period. Please be aware of the possibility substance contamination and the importance of safer drug use practices to reduce the risk of overdose. With the possibility of substance contamination, it’s important to reduce the risk of overdose: -- Don’t use alone, if possible. Keep a distance of 2 metres and respect public health measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 if using substances with others. If you have to use alone, call or text a trusted support person and let them know you are using alone and provide them with your location. -- Start with a test dose. Start low, go slow. -- Have naloxone available, even if you aren’t intentionally using opioids. Naloxone is available for free from most community pharmacies and other community locations, including needle distribution and disposal organizations. For more information about where to get a free naloxone kit and how to use it, visit http://www.nsnaloxone.com/ -- Call 911 in the event of an overdose. Know your rights under the Good Samaritan Act http://www.nsnaloxone.com/good-samaritan-act.html Please share this information friends and family, including youth.

Thank-you to our veterans, those who serve, and their families.

October is Mi'kmaq History Month. Hear Icysis Toney talk about her passion for Mi'kmaw dancing and the importance of Mi'kmaq History Month. https://youtu.be/RkMrHMhqWrk

It's Mi'kmaq History Month in Nova Scotia. Find out the Mi'kmaq name of your community and how to pronounce it by following this link: http://mikmawplacenames.ca/

October is Mi'kmaq History Month. Here's a video of Sheila Porter talking about the importance of educating youth on the Mi'kmaw culture and preserving the Mi'kmaw language. https://youtu.be/GfObdylyapI