Interior Health has issued a drug alert for a pill being sold in Kamloops as Percocet, but is in fact laced with fentanyl. The white pill also contains acetaminophen and a “TEC” stamp.
Interior Health said the drug poses a risk of opioid overdose, due to the potential unknown consumption of fentanyl.
The drug was discovered, after it was tested at Ask Wellness, via the non-profit’s drug-checking program.
The alert was issued on Wednesday and is in effect until Feb. 24.
Previous drug alerts in the area were issued last month. Four drug alerts were issued on Friday, Jan. 8, at which time the health authority warned of four street drugs sold under the name “down,” a common name for heroin.
All four of the drugs were said to have high risk of overdose.
The first drug is described as a greyish blue pebble containing fentanyl and benzodiazepines — a type of psychoactive drug.
A second drug is described as a white powder containing fentanyl, benzodiazepines and the synthetic cannabinoid AMB-FUB.
The third is a brown pebble substance containing etizolam — benzodiazepines — fentanyl and AMB-fubinaca, and has additional side effects such as hallucinations or agitation.
The fourth substance consists of purple granules containing fentanyl, AMB-fubinaca and possibly benzodiazepines. Additional side effects include hallucinations and agitation.
The alert follows news of the deadliest year of the opioid crisis. In 2020, the crisis claimed the lives of more than a person a week in Kamloops. People can have their drugs checked at the ASK Wellness Society office, 433 Tranquille Rd. in North Kamloops, and at supervised drug-use sites, at ASK Wellness and at the Crossroads Inn, downtown at Seymour Street and Sixth Avenue.
