Drug alert Kelowna

Alert in effect until June 10th

Interior Heath has issued a DRUG ALERT for Kelowna and surrounding area. Counterfeit (fake) tablets sold as Oxycodone/Percocet were found to contain Medetomidine. Medetomidine is a very strong tranquilizer. It can cause breathing and heart rate to slow down, which makes overdoses more complicated and last longer. Medetomidine is potentially dangerous to the heart. It does not respond to naloxone.

Please ensure your clients are aware of safer drug use tips that can help prevent overdose as well as where they can access naloxone, drug checking and other overdose prevention services in your community.   

Safer drug use tips: https://www.interiorhealth.ca/health-and-wellness/mental-health-and-substance-use/toxic-drug-crisis/overdose-prevention-and-treatment

Naloxone: https://towardtheheart.com/site-finder

Drug checking: https://drugchecking.ca/