Two Halton Region teens were transported to hospital after displaying signs of a suspected drug overdose following consuming what they assumed was cannabis.
Police said officers responded to a report of two unconscious individuals at a home in Milton Wednesday, just after 2 p.m.
At a press conference Thursday, Staff Sgt. Chris Lawson said a neighbour happened to be looking out the back window of their home and saw the two men fall on the deck unresponsive and called 911.
“We were in our family room and heard a whole bunch of ruckus outside so we went to go and check and there were just a bunch of teenagers hanging out on this deck and then I noticed that two of them were on the ground,” said the neighbour, Annissa Adams.
She said she went outside and that’s when she saw the two men on the ground start to convulse on the ground and called 911.
Upon arrival, police found the 18-year-old males outside a home. Officers administered naloxone to both men. One received a single dose before regaining consciousness. The other remained unresponsive and needed a second dose of the overdose reversal drug.
Lawson, who administered the naloxone, told reporters he believes “there was an additional drug involved.” He said the two had stepped outside to smoke what they believed to be cannabis, purchased from a third party.
“After administering the naloxone, their recovery was rather rapid which leads us to believe that there was some form of opioid involved,” Lawson said.
Police said both men have since been released from hospital.
For Adams, she’s relieved the two victims are OK.
“It’s the human thing to do … I just felt it was the right thing to do.”
Lawson said police are still unsure whether it was cannabis laced with something or if the two victims ingested something separately. However, he said there was a strong smell of marijuana upon arrival on scene.
More than a dozen high school students were gathered at the home, and police said several stayed behind to offer statements.
Investigators have not yet confirmed what substance was consumed by the teens and police said a sample will be sent to Health Canada.
“If you’re purchasing cannabis anywhere but a government location, you are taking a risk because you cannot guarantee your safety,” said Insp. Kevin Maher.
Investigators are asking for anyone with information to contact them or Crime Stoppers.
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