A new deadly drug has been confirmed as present in Interior Health, according to a press release from the authority released today.
According to Interior Health, the presence of the drug was confirmed after two drug tests came back positive for the drug; one in the Kootenay region and one in the Thompson Cariboo Shuswap area.
“These recent findings confirm our suspicions and anecdotal reports that carfentanil is present in IH communities,” said Dr. Trevor Corneil, Chief Medical Health Officer with Interior Health. “Carfentanil has also been detected in other parts of B.C. and may be responsible for the spike in overdose deaths seen at the end of 2016.”
Carfentanil is related to the deadly drug fentanyl, but is approximately 100 times more toxic and more deadly. It is difficult to tell the difference between the two drugs, or if either of the two drugs is present in other illicit substances. According to Interior Health, carfentanil is a “synthetic opoid” commonly used to sedate large animals.
“Overdoses involving carfentanil are require larger quantities of naloxone and are more likely to be lethal,” the press release notes.
In the Kootenay Boundary region of Interior Health, there were 10 overdose deaths reported by the BC Coroners Service in 2016, and one in January 2017. The Kootenay Boundary region includes municipalities like Nelson and Trail, making the effect of drugs on Grand Forks or the Boundary specifically difficult to ascertain. A spokesperson for Interior Health confirmed that statistics are not available for Grand Forks alone.