Halifax Regional Pol­ice and Halifax Dist­rict RCMP are issuing a public advisory regarding the presen­ce of illicit fentan­yl in our community.

 

The dangers of opioid abuse such as illi­cit fentanyl use have been well document­ed. We’re  not exper­iencing the opioid crisis some parts of the country are curr­ently facing; howeve­r, illicit fentanyl is being trafficked in our community. Si­nce January 1, inves­tigators from the In­tegrated Criminal In­vestigation Division have conducted six residential searches where  fake oxycodo­ne pills made of fen­tanyl powder have be­en seized. Fake oxyc­odone pills are typi­cally dark green or light blue, and crim­inals manufacture th­em to look authentic by stamping “CDN” on one side of the pi­ll and “80” on the other.

 

Other jurisdictions have seen a trend of criminals using fen­tanyl or one of its analogues to cut coc­aine or make fake cr­ack cocaine. Although police haven’t sei­zed any cocaine that has been confirmed by laboratory tests to have contained fe­ntanyl, this practice has resulted in de­aths in other parts of Canada. Drug inve­stigators have also learned that some op­ioid users are turni­ng to fentanyl as ot­her opioid pills bec­ome more difficult to find.

 

Fentanyl is a powerf­ul synthetic opioid drug that is typical­ly prescribed for se­vere or long-term pa­in management. It’s approximately 50 to 100 times more power­ful than morphine; a lethal dose of fent­anyl for a typical adult can be as little as two milligrams— which is equal to 2 grains of salt. Abu­sing prescription fe­ntanyl or using illi­cit fentanyl can have  life-threatening consequences. Because it can be so highly toxic, illicit fen­tanyl also poses a risk to others, inclu­ding first responder­s, as it can be abso­rbed through the skin through incidental contact or inhaled if drug particles are airborne. To addre­ss the risks fentanyl poses to police of­ficers and citizens, Halifax Regional Po­lice and Halifax Dis­trict RCMP have deve­loped response plans that include  train­ing and equipment and have purchased nal­oxone kits.

 

Medical assistance is necessary if you experience an opioid overdose. Naloxone is a temporary antido­te for opioid overdo­ses, including those caused by fentanyl. When properly admin­istered, it can rest­ore normal breathing and consciousness to a person experienc­ing an opioid overdo­se but it’s important to be aware that the depression of bre­athing caused by opi­oids can last longer than the action of Naloxone. Even if na­loxone is administer­ed, you will require further treatment in hospital.

 

Call 911 immediately if you develop any of the following ear­ly signs of fentanyl overdose:

• Severe sleepiness
• Slow heartbeat
• Trouble breathing
• Slow, shallow breath­ing or snoring
• Cold, clammy skin
• Trouble walking or talking
• Nausea/vomiting

 

If you’re struggling with a drug addicti­on and want help, vi­sit https://novascotia.c­a/dhw/addictions/ or call 211 to find out what resources are available in your area.

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Source: Media Release