Naloxone-resistant street drug linked to 9 deaths in Eastern Canada seized in Alberta

A street drug containing fentanyl and a sedative called bromazolam — which is in the benzodiazepine family — linked to nine deaths in Eastern Canada is showing up in Alberta.

A street drug linked to nine deaths in Eastern Canada is showing up in Alberta, prompting RCMP to issue a warning about its potentially lethal consequences.

Grande Prairie RCMP received a report this week from Health Canada regarding a drug that had been seized on Feb. 28. Police said a large quantity was seized following a suspected fatal overdose.

The drug contained fluorofentanyl mixed with bromazolam, which is a benzodiazepine. It is not approved for medical use in any country.

The analyzed drug was oval in size, stamped with “20” and “SS,” though it can come in other forms.

Benzodiazepines are depressants that slow the nervous system and are commonly prescribed for sedation to treat insomnia or to reduce anxiety, under names such as Valium, Xanax and Ativan.

Health Canada says mixing benzodiazepines (benzos) with other depressants such as alcohol or opioids — also known as benzo-dope — increases the risk of overdose.

Fentanyl is a strong opioid that can result in an overdose causing breathing to slow or stop, unconsciousness and even death. Benzos also cause respiratory depression, sedation and can make a person lose consciousness. It is not an opioid, which means naloxone or Narcan, the medications that reverse some overdoses, cannot be used.

Health officials say the combination of these drugs is extremely dangerous. Officials say fentanyl laced with bromazolam would see reduced effectiveness of naloxone or Narcan, requiring the use of additional doses, which may still result in death.