Interior Health has issued a drug alert, covering all communities within the Health Authority’s boundaries.
Multiple drug samples have been found across the region recently, containing extremely high amounts of fentanyl and benzodiazepine.
Those samples contain up to 55 percent fentanyl, compared to the average of around 10 percent.
Levels of benzodiazepine discovered are as high as 25 percent, compared to a 1 to 2 percent average.
Samples are being sold as down, heroine, or fentanyl, and have been identified in a wide range of textures and colours.
A high risk of overdose is associated with both, and in the case of benzos, can cause prolonged sedation of several hours.
Naloxone can be used to fight opioid overdose, but should only be applied until the individual is breathing normally, even if they remain unconscious.
Naloxone will not work on overdose symptoms related to benzos.
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