Troubling spike in carfentanil overdoses

Officials say a recent spike in suspected overdoses on a southern Alberta First Nation is due to the deadly synthetic opioid carfentanil, a drug 100 times more potent than fentanyl.

Blood Tribe Police Service said they responded to 22 overdoses between Tuesday and Thursday of last week, one of them fatal.

Before that peak, there had been 39 overdoses between Nov. 1 and 22.

The suspected carfentanil, officials said, is believed to be mixed with an unknown substance being sold to unsuspecting users.

“We all know that illicit drugs are very dangerous, however, drug traffickers continue to prey on our community,” Blood Tribe police Chief Kyle Melting Tallow said in a statement shared on social media.

“They take advantage of our vulnerable and the socioeconomic situation in the community. Many people are caught in the cycle of addiction and do not know how to ask for help.”

https://calgarysun.com/news/provincial/ … lood-tribe