A toxic, illicit drug that dealers are disguising as oxycodone and heroin claimed the life of a Squamish resident last month.
In the early morning hours of Saturday (Sept. 27) Squamish RCMP attended a residence on Government Road. At the scene two males were found in medical distress — one 40 years old the other 43. Medical assistance was provided at the scene, Sgt. Wayne Pride stated in a press release. The victims were transported to the Squamish General Hospital, but the 40-year-old did not survive.
Although initial information led police to believe the two males overdosed on cocaine, the B.C. Coroner’s Service revealed that the drug was Fentanyl — an opioid police are uncovering with increasing frequency around Vancouver. The drug is more toxic than morphine and looks like oxycodone and heroin, Pride noted. As a result, drug dealers are selling Fentanyl under the guise of other drugs. People continue to die and are being put at risk because of poor decision-making and misguided trust, he said.
Police are warning illicit drug users of the dangers of Fentanyl. Drug dealers aren’t the most dependable individuals, Pride said.
“It’s alarming to see this reach Squamish. We had heard of occurrences like this in the Lower Mainland,” he said, adding according to information on the B.C. Coroner’s website, this synthetic opioid puts users at risk of death even on their first use of the drug.
The family of the victim has asked that something positive come out of the tragedy. As such, Pride said he hopes the death alerts others to the dangers currently on the streets.
“Their loved one would have wanted that, and together we are asking the public to educate themselves on the dangers of not only this drug, but all illicit drugs,” he stated. “The victim in this case was not a cocaine user, our apologies and condolences to family and friends, who are in grieving in this tragedy.”
