Northern Health and the First Nations Health Authority are issuing a Drug Alert for the Northern Region of British Columbia.
A purple paste/sample sold as ‘down’ has tested positive for fentanyl, benzos and medetomidine. This sample has been linked to overdose events.
Medetomidine is a non-opioid sedative that can cause an increase in overdose and fatal overdose, complex drug poisoning which involves deep and prolonged sedation and very low or no pulse.
Overdose symptoms may require multiple doses of naloxone or may not respond to naloxone. Smoking is not safer than injecting.