The Fort St. John RCMP have issued a public service announcement regarding toxic drugs circulating in the region.
According to police, between April 3rd and 9th, members of the FSJ detachment responded to three sudden deaths where the cause was believed to be consistent with an opioid overdose.
Recently, the Fort St. John RCMP came across the powerful synthetic opiate “Isotonitazene,” within counterfeit Oxycodone tablets, and is considered as potent or potentially more potent than fentanyl, which FSJ RCMP Constable Chad Neustaeter says poses significant risks for those who choose to use.
“The pills are like making chocolate chip cookies, some cookies have 6 chocolate chips, others have 16 which, when it comes to fentanyl or synthetic opiates, can be fatal,” he says.
Risk to surrounding areas
In Grande Prairie, Corporal Troy Savinkoff agrees with his colleagues in BC, saying there is “always a risk” when it comes to using illegal drugs, so the simple advice from police is to stop, as there is simply no way to ensure what you are being sold is the product you wish to purchase.
“When you buy those through the appropriate means- they’re done in labs that have oversight to ensure the product being provided is consistent and has the appropriate ingredients in it,” he says. “There is always a risk, and the obvious advice from police to anyone who is engaged with illegal drug usage is to not be- seek out supports, if you are engaging in that sort of activity you have to be aware of the risks.”
Additionally, Savinkoff says with the Fort St. John detachment issuing a notice, residents throughout the Peace Region would be better off following their advice.
“If Fort St. John has put out an alert- certainly there could be that possibility of a regional supply in that community, but we do often see that Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, Grande Prairie, these are all one generic region and it would be very easy for a tainted drug supply in one community to easily travel to a neighbouring city,” he says.
The Fort St. John RCMP are reminding drug users to never do so alone, and to always carry Narcan or Naloxone kits.
