Interior Health has issued a drug alert for the West Kootenay/Boundary after multiple drug samples were found to contain carfentanil, carfentanil analogues, and flualprazolam (strong and long lasting benzodiazepine analogue).
The health authority says the drugs in question look pebbles of various colours (off-white, light orange, light purple, dark purple, light blue, and pink) and are sold as fentanyl or down.
They come with high risk of severe consequences, including prolonged sedation and even death.
According to the BC Coroners Service, an “increasingly toxic and volatile illicit drug supply” claimed at least 201 lives in October and 1,782 lives in the first 10 months of 2021.
Interior Health offers the following advice:
- Get your drugs checked – find locations at drugchecking.ca
- Avoid mixing.
- Use with others around or at an overdose prevention site .
- Start with a small amount.
- Carry naloxone and know how use it.
- Get the LifeGuard App – lifeguardh.com.
- Call 211 or visit bc211.ca to find services near you.