Author: Antoine

Nelson Drug Alert

Posted on by Antoine

Nelson Drug Alert

DOWN with high concentration of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and benzodiazepine.

Sold as Down, Fentanyl – Yellow and Green Chunks and Pebbles

Contains:

  • High concentration of fentanyl and and fentanyl analogue. Higher than average concentration.

    Positive for benzodiazepines

Risk:

High risk of overdose, High risk of fatal overdose.

Mixing with alcohol can be especially dangerous.

Focus on breathing if naloxone appears to not resolve overdose symptoms.

Using in the cold increases chances of overdose.

Smoking is NOT safer than injecting. Take care when smoking drugs by using a little at a time and waiting a few minutes, as some effects can take longer to appear.

Overdose response:

Naloxone does not work on Benzos, BUT naloxone will work on the opioid overdose symptoms.  After giving breaths and naloxone, the person may begin breathing normally, but may not wake up. More doses of naloxone should only be given if the person is not breathing normally (less than 10 breaths a minute). If the person is breathing normally but remains unconscious, place in recovery position and stay with them until emergency services arrive.

No matter what or how you use (oral, smoking, snorting, injecting) take steps to prevent overdose

  • Know the risks when mixing drugs
  • If you must use while alone, consider using the Lifeguard app which can connect you with 911 emergency responders if you overdose. Download at the App Store or Google Play.   
  • When using your substance start with a small amount, and then go slow.
  • Use with others or at an Overdose Prevention or Supervised Consumption Site, if one is near you.
  • Know how to respond to an overdose – call 911, give rescue breaths and naloxone.

Here is a link to download a printable version of this poster.

Drug Checking Report for Interior Health – October 2022 – BCCSU

Posted on by Antoine

The BCCSU publishes Provincial and regional monthly reports that summarize drug checking results. Here is the October 2022 report from samples collected by Drug Checking Sites across the Interior Health region.

Key Findings

  • The percentage of opioids testing positive for benzodiazepines in the region increased from 50.0% to 65.1% in October (82 of 126 samples). Trends may be hard to infer due the large geographic region, and the true rate may be higher than reported here because benzodiazepines, and benzodiazepine-like substances like etizolam, may be missed by drug checking technologies.
  •  Etizolam was the most frequent benzodiazepine detected by FTIR, found present in 3 opioid samples. This indicates samples had concentrations of etizolam above 5%, high enough to be detectable by FTIR.
  •  An increase in the number of opioid samples tested was observed in October, while the number of samples tested in all other drug categories either declined, or remained consistent.

Find the full report here.

Cranbrook Drug Alert

Posted on by Antoine

Cranbrook Drug Alert

Multiple samples of DOWN with higher than average amount of fentanyl have been identified Cranbrook.

Sold as Down, Fentanyl – Red/Orange Chunks

Contains:

  • Higher to much higher than average concentration of fentanyl, analogue or both. 
  • Benzodiazepines.

Risk:

High risk of overdose, High risk of fatal overdose.

Using in the cold can increase risk of overdose.

Mixing with alcohol can be especially dangerous.

Smoking is NOT safer than injecting. Take care when smoking drugs by using a little at a time and waiting a few minutes, as some effects can take longer to appear.

Overdose response:

Naloxone does not work on Benzos, BUT naloxone will work on the opioid overdose symptoms.  After giving breaths and naloxone, the person may begin breathing normally, but may not wake up. More doses of naloxone should only be given if the person is not breathing normally (less than 10 breaths a minute). If the person is breathing normally but remains unconscious, place in recovery position and stay with them until emergency services arrive.

No matter what or how you use (oral, smoking, snorting, injecting) take steps to prevent overdose

  • Know the risks when mixing drugs
  • If you must use while alone, consider using the Lifeguard app which can connect you with 911 emergency responders if you overdose. Download at the App Store or Google Play.   
  • When using your substance start with a small amount, and then go slow.
  • Use with others or at an Overdose Prevention or Supervised Consumption Site, if one is near you.
  • Know how to respond to an overdose – call 911, give rescue breaths and naloxone.

Here is a link to download a printable version of this poster.

Kelowna and Vernon Drug Alert

Posted on by Antoine

Kelowna and Vernon Drug Alert

Multiple samples of DOWN with high concentration of benzodiazepine and fentanyl have been identified in Kelowna and Vernon

Sold as Down, Fentanyl White / Light Pink Powder.

Contains:

  • High concentration of fentanyl. Higher than average.
  • Very high concentration of bromazolam (10-20%) , a strong benzodiazepine. 

Risk:

High risk of overdose, High risk of fatal overdose.

Mixing with alcohol can be especially dangerous.

Focus on breathing if naloxone appears to not resolve overdose symptoms.

Overdose response:

Naloxone does not work on Benzos, BUT naloxone will work on the opioid overdose symptoms.  After giving breaths and naloxone, the person may begin breathing normally, but may not wake up. More doses of naloxone should only be given if the person is not breathing normally (less than 10 breaths a minute). If the person is breathing normally but remains unconscious, place in recovery position and stay with them until emergency services arrive.

No matter what or how you use (oral, smoking, snorting, injecting) take steps to prevent overdose

  • Know the risks when mixing drugs
  • If you must use while alone, consider using the Lifeguard app which can connect you with 911 emergency responders if you overdose. Download at the App Store or Google Play.   
  • When using your substance start with a small amount, and then go slow.
  • Use with others or at an Overdose Prevention or Supervised Consumption Site, if one is near you.
  • Know how to respond to an overdose – call 911, give rescue breaths and naloxone.

Here is a link to download a printable version of this poster.

Drug Checking Report for Interior Health – September 2022 – BCCSU

Posted on by Antoine

The BCCSU publishes Provincial and regional monthly reports that summarize drug checking results. Here is the September 2022 report from samples collected by Drug Checking Sites across the Interior Health region.

Key Findings

  • There was an increase in total drug checks in Interior during September, due mostly to drug checking services provided
    at a small festival where 210 samples were tested. A separate report on larger festivals in the region will be published
    later in the fall.
    • The percentage of opioids testing positive for benzodiazepines in the region decreased from 67.9% to 50.0% in
    September (54 of 108 samples). Trends may be hard to infer due the large geographic region, and the true rate may be
    higher than reported here benzodiazepines, and benzodiazepine-like substances like etizolam, may be missed by drug
    checking technologies.
    • Etizolam was the most frequent benzodiazepine detected by FTIR in the month of September, found present in 4
    opioid samples.

Find the full report here.

Drug Checking Report for Interior Health – August 2022 – BCCSU

Posted on by Antoine

The BCCSU publishes Provincial and regional monthly reports that summarize drug checking results. Here is the August 2022 report from samples collected by Drug Checking Sites across the Interior Health region.

Key Findings

  • There was an increase in total drug checks in Interior this month, due mostly to drug checking services provided at a
    festival that occurred in the region, where 89 samples were tested. A separate report on larger festivals in the region will be
    published later in the fall.
  • The percentage of opioids testing positive for benzodiazepines in the region increased from 61.6%, to 67.9% in August (57 of
    84 samples). Trends may be hard to infer due the large geographic region, and the true rate may be higher than reported here
    as etizolam, a benzodiazepine-like substance, may be missed by drug checking technologies.
  • Etizolam was the most frequent benzodiazepine detected by FTIR in the month of August, found present in 4 opioid samples.
  • One alert was issued regarding a down sample that contained a high concentration of fentanyl and benzodiazepines
    (bromazolam and flubromazepam).

Find the full report here.

Nelson Drug Alert

Posted on by Antoine

Interior Health – Nelson

Down in Nelson has been found to contain high levels of fentanyl, fluorofentanyl and benzos.

Sold as Down, Fentanyl.

 

Contains:

8% Fentanyl

21% Fluorofentanyl (Fentanyl analogue) *

2% Bromazolam (Benzodiazepine)

*Fluorofentanyl potency is not well understood. It can be more potent than standard fentanyl. This means this drug could be very strong.

Risk:

High risk of overdose with severe complications including death. Loss of consciousness is possible. Passing out for long periods and amnesia are also potential effects.

Overdose response:

Naloxone does not work on Benzos, BUT naloxone will work on the opioid overdose symptoms.  After giving breaths and naloxone, the person may begin breathing normally, but may not wake up. More doses of naloxone should only be given if the person is not breathing normally (less than 10 breaths a minute). If the person is breathing normally but remains unconscious, place in recovery position and stay with them until emergency services arrive.

No matter what or how you use (oral, smoking, snorting, injecting) take steps to prevent overdose

  • Know the risks when mixing drugs
  • If you must use while alone, consider using the Lifeguard app which can connect you with 911 emergency responders if you overdose. Download at the App Store or Google Play.   
  • When using your substance start with a small amount, and then go slow.
  • Use with others or at an Overdose Prevention or Supervised Consumption Site, if one is near you.
  • Know how to respond to an overdose – call 911, give rescue breaths and naloxone.

 

Here is a link to download a printable version of this poster.

Drug Checking Report for Interior Health – July 2022 – BCCSU

Posted on by Antoine

The BCCSU publishes Provincial and regional monthly reports that summarize drug checking results. Here is the July 2022 report from samples collected by Drug Checking Sites across the Interior Health region.

Key Findings

  • The percentage of opioids testing positive for benzodiazepines in the region decreased from 72.0% to 61.6% (45 of 73
    samples). Trends may be hard to infer due the large geographic region, and the true rate may be higher than reported here
    as etizolam, a benzodiazepine-like substance, may be missed by drug checking technologies.
  • One alert was issued about fentanyl being sold as cocaine.
  •  The overall decrease in drugs checked during July may be in part due to the diversion of some services to music
    festivals that occurred within the region

Find the full report here.

Trail and area Drug Alert

Posted on by Antoine

Interior Health – Trail

Down in Trail has been found to contain Fentanyl (34%), Benzodiazepines (Bromazolam 4%, Flubromazepam 1%) alongside with caffeine. These results are accurate as they have been verified by PS-MS at Substance (UVIC).

Risk:

High risk of overdose and death. Risk of unconsciousness not resolved by Naloxone.

Symptoms:

More drowsy than usual, Memory Loss, Nausea, Heavy Nod, Dizziness, Associated with multiple overdoses.

Overdose response:

Naloxone does not work on Benzos, BUT naloxone will work on the opioid overdose symptoms.  After giving breaths and naloxone, the person may begin breathing normally, but may not wake up. More doses of naloxone should only be given if the person is not breathing normally (less than 10 breaths a minute). If the person is breathing normally but remains unconscious, place in recovery position and stay with them until emergency services arrive.

No matter what or how you use (oral, smoking, snorting, injecting) take steps to prevent overdose

  • Before using, get your drugs checked to find out if what your Down contains.
  • Find locations at www.drugchecking.ca
  • Be aware of possible heavy sedation
  • Be aware of risk if mixing with other drugs, including alcohol
  • Use with others around or at an Overdose Prevention Site (OPS)
  • Start with a small amount and space out your doses
  • Carry naloxone and know how to use it
  • Get the LifeGuard App – lifeguarddh.com
  • Call 211 or visit bc211.ca to find services near you

Here is a link to download a printable version of this poster.

Drug Checking Report for Interior Health – June 2022 – BCCSU

Posted on by Antoine

The BCCSU publishes Provincial and regional monthly reports that summarize drug checking results. Here is the June 2022 report from samples collected by Drug Checking Sites across the Interior Health region.

Key Findings

  • The percentage of opioids testing positive for benzodiazepines in the region remained high (72.0%, 108 of
    150 samples), but trends may be hard to infer due the large geographic region. Etizolam, the predominant
    benzodiazepine in expected opioids, may be missed by drug checking technologies. This means that the true
    rate may be higher than reported here.
    • The fentanyl analogue para-fluorofentanyl is appearing in down more frequently. Para-fluorofentanyl is believed
    to be less potent that fentanyl and is accurately detected with fentanyl test strips

Find the full report here.