Last week, Respect RX Pharmacy (805 Sydney Street) made a $2000 donation to Centre 105. Kent Guindon, owner and pharmacist at Respect RX, presented the donation which will be used to purchase food for Centre 105’s Breakfast Meal program.
Centre 105 staff and volunteers recently connected with Respect RX Pharmacy to receive a Naloxone training. Five staff members, five volunteers, and two board members were present for the training session.
“The Naloxone training was extremely beneficial. As a team, we had taken an online Naloxone training during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic,” explained Centre 105’s executive director, Taylor Seguin, “The in-person training, through the Respect RX Pharmacy, was excellent, very detailed and informative. Staff enjoyed the in-person training much more than the online.”
Deaths from illegal substance abuse have been on the rise since the early 2000s but saw a spike during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since Centre 105 works closely with our local homeless population and vulnerable sector, they are an ideal organization to receive this training.
According to a Canada-U.S. joint white paper, “During the pandemic, people increasingly used drugs alone, both outdoors as well as in private residences … Since 2020, drug toxicity deaths and harms have indeed resurged beyond previous levels. Specific contributing factors may include: the increasingly toxic drug supply; increasing feelings of isolation, stress, and anxiety; and diminished availability and accessibility of services for people who use drugs.”
Kent Guindon of Respect RX pharmacy is passionate about getting Naloxone kits in the hands of people who need them most and providing individuals and groups with the necessary training to use them in case of an opioid overdose. Last month, Kent gave a training session at Recovery Day in Lamoureux Park.
Naloxone kits are available for free at any pharmacy with an OHIP card. Individuals or organizations interested in receiving Naloxone training can reach out to kguindon@respectrx.ca.
