An alert issued Tuesday by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health is drawing attention to the growing dangers posed by tainted illicit drugs across the province. The advisory was triggered by a string of suspected overdoses in Swift Current, including one fatality, that occurred in a three-hour span between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
According to the alert, the drug involved was sold as MDMA or “molly,” but was found to contain an unknown opioid. Naloxone, a drug used to reverse opioid overdoses, was effective in some cases, but multiple doses were required. The ministry issued the public warning via the Alertable app at 5:01 p.m., cautioning that dangerous substances are in circulation in the region.
Closer to home, Weyburn Police Service is echoing the concern.
“Sadly, it's actually a pretty good chance,” said Detective Constable Jonathan Kerr when asked about the potential for tainted drugs to reach Weyburn. “Pretty much everything that we're seeing coming into the city now... pretty much all of our drugs that we see coming in contain more than what they're advertised.”
Kerr noted that nearly every seized substance sent to Health Canada for testing comes back showing signs of adulteration, a concerning trend that makes it increasingly difficult for users to know what they’re consuming.
“If you’ve purchased illegally and you want to turn them in, we’re never going to say no to that,” Kerr added. However, he cautioned that turning in illicit drugs after purchase could still result in legal consequences, as the Good Samaritan Act, often cited in overdose cases, does not cover possession in that context.
Instead, the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act is meant to encourage people to call 911 during an overdose, even if they are in possession of illegal substances.
“If you are in possession of illegal drugs, phone because you will not be prosecuted for that possession charge,” said Kerr. “The purpose of it is because we want to save lives.”
While Weyburn has seen a decrease in reported overdoses recently, Kerr cautioned that the numbers may not tell the full story. “We don't necessarily get called to everybody or every overdose,” he said. “Most of the overdoses that we hear about, police or EMS haven’t even responded to.”
Among the most alarming developments, Kerr noted the detection of fentanyl laced with benzodiazepines, or “benzos”, in the Weyburn area. The combination is particularly dangerous because it significantly reduces the effectiveness of naloxone, potentially rendering emergency response efforts ineffective.
“We’ve seen it where we’ve sat and blasted somebody with Narcan three, four, five times and it had no effect,” Kerr said. “That’s the scary one.”
His message for the public is clear: the drug landscape has changed, and so has the level of risk.
“Everything is laced with something,” Kerr emphasized. “You’re not getting what you think you’re buying or what you’re paying for.”
If you or someone you know is at risk of overdose, naloxone kits are available free of charge at participating pharmacies and health centres across Saskatchewan. In the event of an overdose, call 911 immediately.