Montreal public health issues warning about street drugs laced with carfentanil

In this photo released by the US Drug Enforcement Agency, DEA, and taken on Oct. 21, 2016, a sample of carfentanil is being analyzed at the DEA's Special Testing and Research Laboratory in Sterling, Va. (Russell Baer/U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration via AP)

Public health officials are warning Montreal residents about the risk of overdose and death from consuming crack-cocaine laced with carfentanil.

The Montreal public health department said the Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal regional health authority is aware of four cases being reported in the last two weeks, according to a notice published Monday.

The people who overdosed were given naloxone to reverse the drug’s effects, but one person had to be sent to hospital in an ambulance. They experienced unusual symptoms, including drowsiness, dizziness, and nausea.

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Public health says it’s “highly unusual” to find an opioid in a stimulant like crack-cocaine. Carfentanil is significantly stronger than fentanyl.

“The phenomenon is not widespread. However, this reinforces the importance for stimulant users not to use alone and for those accompanying them to have naloxone and know how to use it,” the notice said.

Naloxone, which is free of charge in Quebec without a prescription at pharmacies and some health-care establishments, is administered to someone who has difficulty breathing, makes a snore-like gurgling noise or isn’t breathing at all, or when they react minimally or not at all to noise and pain.

Montreal public health says people may also have symptoms like bluish lips and fingernails (cyanosis) and pinpoint pupils (miosis), which could result in cardiorespiratory arrest.

In the case of an overdose, residents are urged to call 911 immediately.

Public health is urging street-drug users to be cautious, regardless of how the substances are consumed.