Northern Health has issued a toxic drug warning for Prince George, B.C., after a “significant increase in overdoses.”
A light blue, chunk-like substance, known as “down,” is causing users to experience extended periods of sedation, lasting several hours after just one inhalation, the health authority said.
“This substance has been linked to fatal overdoses and testing has confirmed the presence of high concentrations of fentanyl and bromazolam (benzodiazepine),” Northern Health officials said.
The warning was issued on Friday.
A peer-led drug user group said it’s seen the effects of the circulating substance.
United Northern Drug Users Undoing Stigma said it’s the latest example of how street drugs in Prince George and B.C. are becoming increasingly toxic.
“We interact with people on a daily basis, and we see people who normally have a super, super high dose have an idea of what they can use and then they try something new —they’re completely out of it sometimes for days, Katt Cadieux said, a United Northern Drug Users Undoing Stigma spokesperson.
“For two to three days, they don’t remember a thing and that’s scary. Every night, I come home and every morning and go to work — I’m afraid to find out who (we lost) next.”
Eighty-four people died from toxic drugs in Prince George last year.
Cadieux said more safe spaces for people to use drugs, along with greater access to a safer drug supply would reduce deaths.
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