REGINA – A powerful painkiller is becoming more readily available across the country, causing concern for police services.
Police in Alberta say organized crime groups are to blame for sending fentanyl through BC to Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Powder and pills are used to treat severe pain, can be extremely addictive and are twenty times more potent than heroin.
“It’s sort of like catching the high in a way. When you’re not getting the same effect you look for something more to give you that extra kick,” said Paul Hodson with the Regina Detox Centre.
The drug is being called ‘exotic’ in Regina in the sense that it’s more commonly found in larger cities where it’s more profitable. Similar to other new street drugs, availability in Regina can be a few years behind.
“We tend to think of drugs like fentanyl as almost exotic drugs,” said Brian Danyliw, director of Addiction Services, with the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region. “We do have some crystal meth individuals coming in to the centre, but the numbers would never be as high as larger centres and it’s also delayed.”
Fentanyl has been linked to more than 100 deaths in Alberta since 2014. In Saskatoon, three deaths have been linked to the drug.
At this point, police said officers haven’t seen fentanyl widely used in Regina. However, because officers typically only deal with drugs that are seized, they might not have a clear picture of all of illegal drug activity.
“But I would have to say, prescription drugs in general, and the illegal trafficking of prescription drugs is always a great concern for us,” said Elizabeth Popowich with the Regina Police Service.
Fentanyl can be laced with other drugs to help cut costs, so users don’t necessarily know what they’re taking.
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