Salmon Arm RCMP are advising the public of a potent drug supply in Salmon Arm. Police have responded to two suspected overdoses in the past 24 hours in Salmon Arm.

Salmon Arm RCMP always advise against the use of any illicit substance or drug but also believe in the importance of sharing this information to prevent more overdoses. The specific drug being used has not been identified at this time. Anyone that uses illicit drugs is advised to have a buddy and carry naloxone and ensure they both know how to use it.

Interior health issued a recent drug alert for counterfeit tablet’s sold as Dilaudid. Often sold as “Dilaudid”, “dillies”, or “hydromorphone” although it does not contain hydromorphone. Counterfeit Dilaudid contains isotonitazene, which is considered up to 50x stronger than fentanyl, and has a very high risk of overdose.

Fentanyl is a highly potent and addictive synthetic opioid analgesic that is estimated to be up to 100 times more potent than morphine. The effects of fentanyl are unpredictable. Users have no idea of the level of purity or the potency of what they take. When mixed with antidepressants, fentanyl is potentially lethal.

Cychlorphine is one of a new class of laboratory-made opioids known as orphines. Cychlorphine is rare now but may become more common. Cychlorphine is thought to be approximately 10x more potent than fentanyl. There are currently no test strips that work to detect cychlorphine.