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P.E.I. police warn ‘extremely dangerous’ fentanyl hidden in pills

CHARLOTTTOWN, P.E.I. — Police in P.E.I. are warning people about fake prescription drugs containing "extremely dangerous” fentanyl.

June 16, 2017  By The Canadian Press


The RCMP in the district surrounding Charlottetown say they recently seized three types of pills containing fentanyl that were stamped as Oxycontin, Percocet and Xanax.

But they say they are fakes and contain the dangerous opiate.

Police say two milligrams of pure fentanyl — which is the size of about two grains of salt — is enough to kill the average adult.

They say it is odourless and tasteless and can be hard to detect.

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Police say abstinence “is always the best choice,” but suggest those who do use illicit drugs have a sober friend who can call for help.

“Fentanyl is a fast-acting opiate that is estimated to be 100 times more potent than morphine and 20 to 50 times more toxic than heroin. It has legitimate clinical uses for treating chronic pain, but is extremely dangerous when consumed illicitly,” the RCMP said in a release.

“Perhaps even more dangerous is the fact that fentanyl can be added to other drugs without the user’s knowledge.”

News from © Canadian Press Enterprises Inc. 2017


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