City emergency crews to administer drug that stops opioid withdrawal symptoms
Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service crews will soon give out a new medication that stops withdrawal symptoms after someone is treated for an opioid overdose. WFPS confirmed Monday its emergency workers […]
The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service will soon administer a drug called buprenorphine to provide relief from opioid withdrawal symptoms. This new medication will be given to patients after they receive naloxone, a substance that rapidly reverses the life-threatening effects of an overdose. Buprenorphine is an opioid medication that prevents withdrawal symptoms and reduces cravings without causing a person to feel high or sleepy.
The service received permission from Health Canada to use this controlled substance. WFPS confirmed its crews will begin using buprenorphine in late September or October, following a surge in opioid-related incidents this year, with 2,447 incidents reported during the first five months of 2026.
Written by urgent.news from Winnipeg Free Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
