From countering myths and misperceptions to stifling stigmas, health experts say a major part of battling a relentless overdose crisis, driven in large part by fentanyl, involves making sure the right messages are getting across.

With fentanyl slipping evermore present into the illicit drug market, it is a major driver in a skyrocketing number of fatal overdoses in the province. Marcus Lem, B.C. CDC senior medical advisor on opioids, addictions and overdoses, said going from a little-known medical tool to one of the province鈥檚 greatest demons can affect the public perception.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of fear and concern regarding exposure to fentanyl, but a lot of these fears and concerns are overblown, and there鈥檚 a lot of inaccurate information out there,鈥� Lem said, noting in particular fears of first responders overdosing from contact with an overdose victim.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 really have any verified accounts of these. First of all, we know that for reversals of the overdoses, using naloxone, there are tens of thousands of resuscitations have happened 鈥� and we never had one single verified account of somebody overdosing from coming in contact with an overdose victim.鈥�

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With so many deaths resulting from fentanyl in all social stratas, Lem said fear is driving the spread of misinformation, adding that there鈥檚 a 鈥渓ack of good information鈥� accessible to the public.

鈥淐onsequently, although at B.C. CDC and other public health organizations, we鈥檙e doing our best to try and change that, in the absence of that, often the vacuum is filled with misinformation,鈥� Lem said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to put out some of the basic messaging.鈥�

That messaging is four major points that the CDC is trying to drive home: Street grade fentanyl does not become airborne, fentanyl is not easily absorbed through the skin, there have been no cases of overdose in health-care workers, first responders or citizens responding to an overdose victim in thousands of resuscitations B.C.-wide and there hasn鈥檛 been any evidence of fentanyl in illicit marijuana. Despite many claims of fentanyl-laced marijuana, the RCMP have said they have never siezed any.

Lem said while there鈥檚 little risk in resuscitating an overdose victim, there鈥檚 a major risk incurred by the proliferation of myths involving first responders overdosing through skin contact or airborne fentanyl.

鈥淭he big danger of this misinformation is fear will lead people to not provide life-saving care to folks, which include artificial respiration or breaths and naloxone,鈥� Lem said.

By extension, Lem said further damage can be done when society stigmatizes overdose victims.

鈥淚n some ways we make the folks who are overdosing, essentially we make them untouchable. We make them a class of people that, 鈥榥o, you can鈥檛 touch that person,鈥欌�� Lem said. 鈥淚s there anything more stigmatizing than saying they are untouchable?鈥�

Even those who are aware of the limitations to fentanyl鈥檚 potent danger can be hesitant to let go of the fear that might drive people away from aiding a downed drug user. But Lem said ultimately knowledge does lead to better practices.

鈥淎 lot of it has to do with fear and fear of the unknown and also with social stigma. But, as with all things, the more you know about it, the less fearful you need to be,鈥� Lem said. 鈥淚t allows you to take proper precautions and know what the proper precautions would be.鈥�

As per the old adage, 鈥渋f it bleeds, it leads,鈥� Lem said it can be an uphill battle to combat the false, overtly negative messages out in the public, especially when institutions like the B.C. CDC are involved in warning of the drug鈥檚 fatal dangers.

鈥淭hings that are sensational always grab people鈥檚 attention more than things which calm folks down.鈥�

Lem said he is seeing some fact checking in the media, with experts coming out to debunk some of the myths surrounding fentanyl.

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Lem suggests media consumers watch out for stories without medical verification or medical expert analysis.

鈥淚n the end, truthfully, for a layperson reading a news story, it鈥檚 very, very difficult to tell. When you read something on the internet, it could seem perfectly plausible,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou have to be an expert, in some cases, to know what鈥檚 plausible and what鈥檚 not plausible.

鈥淯sually the first thing I would say is getting it from a reputable source, but with what鈥檚 going on nowadays, even that may be kind of suspect.鈥�

Further to that, Lem suggests journalists go to reputable sources to verify information they have received.