Mayor Matt Brown is asking council to approve the creation of a municipal task force to tackle London's opioid crisis.
In a letter to members of the Community and Protective Services Committee, which meets on Tuesday, Brown says London is "struggling with an epidemic of opioid/drug use and abuse."
He is proposing the creation of an Opioid Crisis Working Group, that would be comprised of himself and "key community stakeholders".
"The human tragedy arising from opioid addiction and the explosion of fatal overdoses, as well as the associated pressures placed on London’s health, emergency and social service agencies, makes this issue impossible to ignore," the letter says. "It is imperative that we take immediate steps to try and find solutions to contain and mitigate the crisis in our community."
Under Brown's proposal, the working group would be asked to report back to council with a plan to consult with the community and explore what is being done and what can be done to address the opioid crisis, including the possibility of supervised injection sites. It would also be asked to develop recommendations on how to deal with the crisis.
In February, the results of a survey into injection drug use in London showed 86% of IV drug users asked would use a supervised injection site if one was available. The survey also showed 65% said they inject drugs daily, 72% said they do so in public places, and 22% reported syringe sharing. It recommended that a supervised injection site be set up in either downtown London or in Old East.
Mayor Brown's letter to the Community and Protective Services Committee can be read by clicking here.
