Warning issued about synthetic opioid stronger than fentanyl found in Winnipeg

A Winnipeg harm reduction agency says a dangerously potent opioid has been detected in the city for the first time.

A Winnipeg-based medical centre is warning the public after a high-potency synthetic opioid was detected in a counterfeit pill last month.

Street Connections, a mobile public health service, has issued a drug alert for metonitazene—a potent synthetic nitazene opioid that is considered as strong as or stronger than fentanyl.

It explains that a white pill with the marking “TEC” on one side and scored on the other side was tested at Street Connections on Dec. 19.

The pill, which was believed to be Percocet, was then sent for further testing at Health Canada Drug Analysis Services (DAS) because local testing did not detect active compounds. DAS testing discovered metonitazene.

Street Connections warns that the use of high-potency opioids increases the risk of accidental overdose. It added that naloxone can reverse the impacts of nitazenes; however, nitazene opioids are so strong that several doses of naloxone may be required for those experiencing an overdose.

This is the first time metonitazene has been detected at Street Connections.

More information on drugs analyzed by DAS or where you can get drugs checked in Winnipeg is available online.