2 highly toxic opioids detected in drug supply seized by RNC

Two highly potent opioids, carfentanil and 3-methylfentanyl, were detected in a recent drug seizure, according to an RNC press release Friday.

"Just the mere presence of even a grain of carfentanil can potentially be life threatening," Const. James Cadigan told CBC News.

Carfentanil is 100 times stronger than fentanyl and 10,000 times stronger than morphine according to Jane Henderson, Newfoundland and Labrador's provincial harm reduction consultant.

Methylfentanyl is an analogue substance, or a clandestine copy of a drug, that is about 16 times stronger than fentanyl, Henderson said.

This is the first time that carfentanil and methylfentanyl have been detected by the RNC in a drug seizure. However, this is not the first instance of these substances being present in the province. CBC News reported carfentanil as the cause of an overdose-related death in 2018.

RNC warn of drug 100 times more potent than fentanyl — and how a single grain could be deadly

1 month ago

Duration 1:24

Drugs seized by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary had carfentanil and methylfentanyl in them — the latter is up to 6,000 times stronger than morphine. RNC Const. James Cadigan stresses that if you take a drug and suffer an emergency, there is a law that protects you from criminal liability.

"We can assume it's been circulating here ever since," Emily Wadden, the program manager at Safe Works Access Program in St. John's, told CBC Radio Friday.

The RNC said they believe these two substances were being sold as fentanyl.

"It's highly likely whoever's drugs were seized and tested didn't even know what was in them," Wadden said. "Dealers test portions of their drugs now so they can use the fact that it's only cocaine, or whatever the desired drug is, as a selling point."

Henderson said a person can't know what's in the substances when they purchase them, and stressed the importance of having a naloxone kit on site as a potentially life-saving tool. She's also urging the public to get well-informed if using illicit substances — adding drugs don't discriminate.

Both Henderson and Wadden said that the toxicity of these substances is not airborne, meaning accidential exposure through the air is unlikely.

"If the powder could be absorbed through the skin and cause instant [overdoses] by being around it, nobody would need to snort, smoke, or inject it," Wadden said.

"It's a public health issue, it's not just a certain group of folks. This can really affect anyone," Henderson added.

Henderson urged people to continue administering naloxone as a temporary response to suspected opioid overdoses while waiting for emergency response to arrive.

"Naloxone can work anywhere from 30 minutes to 90 minutes and that depends on the substance that the person has overdosed on," she said.

Under the Good Samaritan Act, people who are overdosing or who are helping someone following an overdose are protected from getting charged with possession of illicit substances when emergency response arrives at the scene.

To obtain a naloxone kit, Henderson says a map of distribution centres can be found on the N.L. government website. Safe use supplies like drug testing strips, naloxone kits and more are available at SWAP's offices in St. John's and Corner Brook or through their free, province-wide delivery service.

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