An alert for street-level drugs has been issued for Kelowna and Vernon.
Interior Health, which issued the alert on Friday, says multiple samples of street-level meth in those two Okanagan cities have been found to contain benzodiazepine.
According to IH, the drug is being sold as ‘side’ (meth) and appears as a colourless crystal. The potential effects of ingesting the drug include sleepiness, memory loss, altered thinking, delusions of safety or sobriety, risky behaviour and passing out.
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“Naloxone will not reverse the effects of benzos,” warned Interior Health.
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Further, IH says many types of benzos cause a strong feeling when inhaled, and that taking multiple doses will cause more undesirable effects.
It also said:
- Sedation can last minutes to hours
- If you don’t use benzos, this will have a stronger effect
- If someone passes out from meth, make sure they can breathe and don’t leave them alone
- Naloxone will not work on benzos, but always give naloxone when in doubt
- Benzos can cause intense withdrawal symptoms
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More information about the drug alerts in Kelowna and Vernon can be found on Interior Health’s website.
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