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Public Health Advisory issued for discovery of carfentanil in Hay River
The mixture was discovered in a drug seizure in September
The Office of the Chief Public Health Officer has issued a warning to the public about a dangerous drug combination that has recently been detected in the NWT.
On September 11th, a drug seizure conducted in Hay River discovered an unknown, beige-coloured powder. Further testing at a Health Canada lab discovered a combination of carfentanil, cocaine, and phenacetin.
Carfentanil is an artificial opioid, and is estimated to be several thousand times stronger than morphine, and around one hundred times more potent that natural fentanyl. Its presence in any mixture is cause for concern, as overdoses are much more common when Carfentanil is involved.
Phenacetin is a drug that is mainly used for pain relief, but was discontinued due to its harmful side effects. This drug has been unavailable without a prescription since 1973.
The main concern about any mixture that contain opioids is that there are no visible signs of their presence. They cannot be detected by sight, smell, or taste. Symptoms of an opioid overdose can include slow breathing, blue lips, choking, drowsiness, and cold skin.
While the NWT has seen seven opioid deaths in 2024, this is the first time that carfentanil has been found mixed with cocaine. Residents are reminded that naloxone can be used as an opioid reversing agent, and can be found at all hospitals, health centres, and pharmacies.
