Bubble gum package tests positive for fentanyl, say RCMP
Police in Bay Roberts are warning the public after gum found at scene of overdose tests positive for narcotics
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- Bay Roberts RCMP have since said only the gum container, not the gum itself, contained fentanyl.
- Police had told CBC News Monday that both the container and the gum tested positive for narcotics.
Police are warning the public after finding fentanyl-laced bubble gum while responding to a reported drug overdose.
Bay Roberts RCMP seized bubble gum and other items found next to a man when they responded to a reported overdose in the community.
The man, who is approximately 30 years old, was treated with Naloxone nasal spray and taken to hospital, where he recovered.
Preliminary drug testing found trace amounts of narcotics, including fentanyl, on the gum and its packaging. Fentanyl is a potent drug, and even small amounts can cause overdose or death.
"I was surprised," Cpl. Matthew Christie said. "I wasn't confident necessarily that it was going to come back with these results. It is concerning and it is very important for people to know."
Police say the gum was purchased out-of-province and sent to Bay Roberts by mail. There is no risk to people buying gum from local stores, said the RCMP.
"We have no reason to believe that this was laced at the factory that the gum was made at or that there's any concerns in relation to that," Christie said.
Police are investigating the source of the gum but Christie wanted to let people in the Bay Roberts area know about the incident.
"Parents do need to be cognizant of what their children have," Christie said.
"In this instance it was not a child that was a victim, it was an adult [but] it is a safety concern in our community and one that I think that people should know about."
Christie said he doesn't anticipate laying any charges following this incident.