Saskatoon overdose death may be linked to fake Oxycontin

SASKATOON – Officials are warning the public about fake Oxycontin 80 pills after a recent death in Saskatoon. Police say an overdose death of a 19-year-old man on Jan. 3 may have been caused by the fake drug.

In September, two men died one day apart after taking the counterfeit Oxycontin . Toxicology tests determined the pills contained a lethal dose of fentynal, which is often used for anesthesia and analgesia and is up to 100 times more potent than morphine.

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READ MORE: Alarm sounded after 2 Saskatoon deaths linked to fake Oxycontin

Officials say the fake Oxycontin has a blue-green colour inside the pill while a real pill is white inside with a blue-green coating.

Police are asking anyone with information on the distribution or origin of the pills to contact them at 306-975-8300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.