Carfentanil claims first overdose victim in Vancouver

Vancouver police have linked carfentanil, a powerful synthetic opioid, to the overdose death of a man found in an East Vancouver apartment earlier this month.

Police were called to a home near Nanaimo and Dundas Street on Nov. 17 to check on the well-being of a 39-year-old man whose co-workers say had been missing from work and was failing to return phone calls.

After gaining entry into his suite with help from the building manager, officers found the man dead inside.

An unknown drug and drug paraphernalia were located inside the apartment and submitted to Health Canada for analysis. The drug was found to contain carfentanil, a deadly opioid analog 100 times more toxic than fentanyl.

“This is the first confirmed death linked to carfentanil in Vancouver,” VPD Staff Sgt. Randy Fincham said in a release. “Unfortunately, we suspect this death won’t be the last.”

Carfentanil is used commercially as general anaesthetic for large animals like elephants.

Last month, a nine-month-old boy in Manitoba was rushed to hospital after being exposed to carfentanil, which is so powerful that just a few grains can be fatal in adults.

There were 622 illicit drug deaths in B.C. between January and October this year and fentanyl was involved in more than 60 per cent of those overdoses.

Police warn all drug users and anyone associated with them to be aware of the signs of overdose: severe sleepiness; slow heartbeat; trouble breathing or slow, shallow breathing or snoring; cold, clammy skin; trouble with walking or talking. If any of these signs are observed in someone who is believed to have taken illicit drugs, call 911 immediately.

Drug users are advised to never inject, snort or swallow drugs alone and to call 911 immediately if overdose symptoms start. — With files from The Canadian Press