By Dan Marshall

Relief from Island Health doctor that powerful drug carfentanil has been seized

Aug 10, 2016 | 12:05 PM

NANAIMO — A drug used in veterinary medicine to sedate elephants almost made its way on to the streets in Canada.

A Calgary man has been charged with trying to get one kilogram of carfentanil into Vancouver.

Doctor Paul Hasselback with Island Health says it’s one of many so called ‘fentanyl analogs’ that are a major health concern.

“Fentanyl has gotten a lot of attention but some of these analogs we definitely have seen on the streets, on the island itself. They probably have contributed to some of the surge in overdoses that we’ve seen on the Island and across the province, and some of the fatalities,” said Hasselback.

The thought this drug could end up on the street is frightening because it’s so potent.

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Health officials say it’s about 100-times more potent than regular fentanyl.

This is the first time Hasselback has heard of carfentanil being imported into Canada.

“If this was taken as if it was regular fentanyl it probably would result in another spate of overdoses, some of which unfortunately quite reasonably would be fatal.”

Hasselback also confirms a recent advisory to drug users about a spike in overdoses in Nanaimo has been rescinded.

There were reports of about a dozen overdoses in a 48-hour period two weeks ago, but Hasselback says it’s likely that was from just a single bad batch of drugs.