New opioid 25 times more powerful than fentanyl circulating in Quebec: public health
A synthetic opioid 25 times more powerful than fentanyl has made its way to the Quebec City region, where public health officials reported Saturday they have detected the dangerous compound in pale green tablets that mimic the appearance of other prescription opioids.
The Quebec City regional public health authority warned the compound, protonitazepyne, presents a high risk of overdose, which may require several doses of the life-saving medication naloxone.
Health Canada first detected the substance in 2023 and would go on to positively identify it in a total of 25 drug samples by the end of the year. Public health officials working in the Quebec City-area now say it has been increasingly found in the Montreal area since the beginning of 2024.
No overdoses in the Quebec City region have been linked to the protonitazepyne tablets, but officials say it presents a very real threat.
"However, it's clear that given the potency and the fact that it's in a tablet of something else, the risk of overdose is very high for people who would consume this tablet," Dr. Anne-Frédérique Lambert-Slythe with the Quebec City public health authority said in an interview.
Officials further warn that protonitazepyne does not show up on test strips designed to detect fentanyl.
The Quebec City public health authority is reiterating advice for people who use drugs to avoid consuming substances alone and to keep naloxone nearby. The medication is available for free at pharmacies.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 10, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Serial sexual offender linked to unsolved 1970s homicides of four Calgary girls, women
An investigation into unsolved historical homicides from the 1970s has linked the deaths of two girls and two young women in and around Calgary to a now-deceased serial offender.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Toronto eliminated from PWHL playoffs
Toronto has been eliminated from the PWHL playoffs.
Information commissioner faces $700K funding shortfall, says system is 'overwhelmed'
Canada's information commissioner says her office is facing a $700,000 funding shortfall that could impact its ability to investigate complaints about government transparency and accountability.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta boundary: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
Backlash over NFL player Harrison Butker's commencement speech has reached a new level
The NFL is distancing itself from controversial comments by Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker during a recent commencement address.
Dabney Coleman, actor who specialized in curmudgeons, dies at 92
Dabney Coleman, the mustachioed character actor who specialized in smarmy villains like the chauvinist boss in '9 to 5' and the nasty TV director in 'Tootsie,' has died. He was 92.
Craig Berube named as next head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have named Craig Berube as their new head coach.