BOOTLEG FENTANYL
Bootleg (non-prescribed) Fentanyl is in Ontario. Because Bootleg Fentanyl is made and circulated exclusively by an illegal market, there is no control over the drug’s quality or purity and it has the potential to be much more powerful than prescribed Fentanyl. A small amount of Bootleg Fentanyl can be fatal – as little as two grains of salt.
In Ontario, Bootleg Fentanyl can be found mixed into recreational drugs or pressed into pills and sold as something else. Individuals may not even be aware they are consuming it because it can’t be detected by sight, smell or taste.
The drug has resulted in an increase of overdoses and deaths across Canada. It is often sold on the street as: W-18, Faded 80’s, K22’s, Fake Oxy’s, Greenies, Green Beanies, etc.
Regardless of what recreational drug you use, it may be there, and it can kill you.
An overdose from opioids, such as Fentanyl, will have one or more of the following signs or symptoms:
• Person is unresponsive or doesn’t wake up easily
• Body is limp
• Breathing is slow or not present
• Lips and nails are blue
• Skin is cold and clammy
• Person is choking or throwing up
• Person is making snoring or gurgling sounds
It is critical that 9-1-1 is called immediately if someone is showing signs of an overdose.
NALOXONE
Naloxone is a drug that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and allows time for the individual to be taken to a hospital to receive immediate medical treatment to save their life. It is available free of charge in Renfrew County, at Renfrew County and District Health Unit, Ontario Addiction Treatment Centre, and participating pharmacies.
For more information, you can also visit www.rcdhu.com or call the Renfrew County and District Health Unit Health Info Line at 613-735-8666 or 1-800-267-1097 Ext. 666 to speak with a nurse.
