Drug Warnings
Because of bad drug policies, there are a lot of toxic drugs out there. The National Drug Alert System (NDAS), created by the St. John Ambulance (SJA), is the most comprehensive and up to date Canadian database of drug warnings.
We are an official partner of the SJA National Drug Alert System, which means that SUNAR can submit drug warnings to be added to their database. If you know about any toxic, tainted, laced or mislabeled drugs, let the rest of us know by filling out an anonymous bad drug report. We will pass it along to the NDAS and we will share the warning below as well.
ETIZOLAM MAY BE MISTAKEN FOR XANAX
April 22, 2021 – Halifax, NS
Public Health received a report from the Halifax Regional Police today that a substance seized in Halifax tested positive for Etizolam. This substance was a blue tab with 3 bisecting lines, stamped B707 on one side and blank on the other side. This substance may be mistaken for Xanax.
Etizolam is similar to benzodiazepines like Xanax, Valium, and Ativan. Benzodiazepine overdoses may present like opioid overdoses, but cannot be reversed by using naloxone.
HEROIN DETECTED IN PILLS
March 17, 2021 – Darmouth, NS
This report came from law enforcement regarding a recent sample seized by RCMP in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and was tested at the National Drug Analysis Service laboratory. The report indicated that “this substance is presented as a new form of exhibit that individuals may be unaware they are consuming”.
FENTANYL-LACED COCAINE
March 15, 2021 – North Sydney, NS
Over the past week, a number of clients brought to the centre’s attention a large number of cocaine samples that they checked with the test strips indicating a positive result for fentanyl — an extremely strong opioid, which is highly addictive and potentially fatal when mixed with other substances.
FENTANYL IN COCAINE
March 13, 2021 – Cape Breton, NS
Drug Harms Alert – Presence of fentanyl in Cocaine You are receiving this message as a part of Nova Scotia’s Drug Harms Alert distribution list. We received reports from a community partner today that a substance being sold as cocaine has had positive test results for the presence of fentanyl in the Cape Breton Regional area.
SWEET TARTS & XANAX
March 8, 2021 – Halifax, NS
A community organization in the Halifax area witnessed two overdoses last night (March 7th). Both individuals are understood to have been using both “Sweet Tarts” with a clear coating, and yellow XANAX bars. The overdoses were not responsive to naloxone. Sweet Tarts – appear like the multicolored, chalk-like rocket candies with a clear coating which contains the substance. XANAX – yellow pills in a bar shape with the word “XANAX” pressed.