Public health officials have sounded the alarm that some street drugs have been found to contain more than users intend to ingest, and those additives have brought with them an increase in overdoses and deaths.
According to Northwestern Health Unit officials, people have been having unusual reactions and effects from street drugs. Testing done by drug-checking sites and people using drugs has shown there are often other substances mixed in that make use of these drugs more dangerous. Simply, if you use a drug that did not come from a pharmacy or legal dispensary, it may not be what you think. It could have other substances like animal tranquilizers or fentanyl mixed in.
Such instances have occurred in Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, and communities in between.
Donna Stanley, a registered nurse with the Northwestern Health Unit, said the distribution of street drugs isn’t done using traditional or known shipping methods for obvious reasons, so public health officials rely on information from other healthcare professionals, paramedic services, and police.
“We’ve seen more risky situations in Sioux Lookout, Dryden, over to Thunder Bay,” she said.
“We would want Fort Frances people to be aware of this because there would likely be impacts there as well.”
Cocaine users have reported symptoms of feeling unwell and experienced sleepiness or unconsciousness. Naloxone has been effective in some cases, but not for all users.
Crystal meth or methamphetamine has tested positive for having been laced with fentanyl.
Opioids have been found to contain a tranquilizer called medetomidine, which is commonly administered by veterinarians. Medetomidine is an anesthetic and potent sedative administered to dogs and cats.
Officials warn that a substance sold as fentanyl has tested positive for cocaine and butonitazene, which is an opioid with similar effects of fentanyl.
If you must imbibe, the health unit can provide free test kits that can be used for xylazine, fentanyl, benzodiazepine, medetomidine, and nitazine.
Users should have a naloxone kit handy and know how and when to use it. Such kits can be had at the public health unit and at most pharmacies.
The health unit also stresses that it’s important never to use illicit drugs alone.
