Fentanyl patch return bill put forward by Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli

Up North6:23Fentanyl a rising concern in the north: Police

Progressive Conservative MPP Vic Fedeli has introduced a private members bill to try and get the patches off of the street.

A northern MPP is pushing to have a program that helps curb fentanyl abuse expanded to the whole province.

Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli has put forward a private members bill called the Safeguarding Our Communities Act (Fentanyl Patch For Patch Return Policy), for first reading.

“My bill would implement a fentanyl patch return policy pioneered in my riding in communities across Ontario to help them deal with what is becoming a growing concern from both a health, social and criminal standpoint,” Fedeli said.

The bill would give health care practitioners across Ontario greater control over fentanyl patches, which can be sold illicitly for large sums of money to addicts, Fedeli noted.

Currently in North Bay, prescription users of fentanyl have to return used patches to their pharmacies.

As a result, fentanyl is harder to come by on the streets of North Bay, Detective Constable Brad Reaume said.

“Just last month, we intercepted an individual coming in from a different community with 59 fentanyl patches for sale in North Bay, so he had to leave our community to obtain the prescriptions for sales within the city of North Bay."

Reaume said other police forces across the province are interested in the program.

Fedeli posted a YouTube video about his proposed bill:

On Mobile? Click here for the video.