Vancouver Coastal Health (VHCH) has issued a warning after seven people overdosed at the Maple Overdose Prevention site on Tuesday.
Tiffany Akins with VCH said an unknown green substance is making the rounds in the downtown eastside.
She said the substance is believed to be an opiate. Symptoms experienced by people who have used it include rigid muscles and pinned pupils.
“There’s always a risk when people use illegal drugs and so in this case, we want people to be extra vigilant,” Akins said.
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The health authority is warning everyone, including recreational drug users, to be extra careful.
The green opiate was reported by workers in the area through a texting service called Real-time Drug Alert & Response (RADAR).
The service was first introduced back in July and allows people to text reports of overdoses, the substance that was used and where the substance was bought.
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