Shelburne RCMP issue warning after responding to fentanyl-related incident

The RCMP are issuing a warning to the public about the dangers of fentanyl after responding to a 911 call on June 1 at a Shelburne residence where a person experiencing seizures admitted to using fentanyl.

Several people, including a young child, were present at the home.

“Fentanyl is a dangerous and deadly drug that can be mixed with a variety of different drugs,” says Cpl. Jennifer Clarke of the Nova Scotia RCMP.

“Our primary concern is public safety and we want people to ensure they are aware of what may be circulating and to take the necessary precautions or rethink choices they may be about to make.”

At 8:38 p.m. on Friday, June 1, members of Shelburne RCMP responded to a 911 call on George Street in Shelburne. The caller said their friend was having seizures related to drug use. The RCMP and EHS responded to the scene where seven adults, ranging in age from 18 to 28, and a two-year-old child were present.

According to an RCMP, a person who had been experiencing seizures admitted to using fentanyl and was administered Naloxone by an RCMP officer.

That person, as well as three other people who admitted to having used cocaine, required further medical attention and were transported to hospital.

In a media release the RCMP say all of the other occupants of the home were examined by EHS for signs of fentanyl exposure and were cleared.

“The two-year-old child was placed in the care of another family member,” reads the media release. “A 23-year-old man was arrested at the scene for violation of parole conditions and is being held in custody.”

The RCMP members at the scene were also examined by EHS for signs of fentanyl exposure. All were cleared.

“We had our members accessed after the occupants of the home were checked and there were no injuries or issues with the RCMP or any of the first responders that attended,” says Cpl. Clarke.

Asked how predominant fentanyl is in the province, Cpl. Clarke said Saturday it was a difficult question for the RCMP to answer at that time without having all of the stats in front of them.

“But certainly, this is the first time I’ve seen that we’ve used Naloxone,” she says.

The RCMP say people need to be aware of how dangerous fentanyl is.

Part of the danger also lies in the fact that people may unknowingly come into contact with fentanyl.

“People need to know that fentanyl may be circulating in the illicit drug trade and if you choose to make choices like that you need to know that there is a possibility you may be encountering this drug,” says Cpl. Clarke.

She says when the RCMP administered Naloxone the person did become more stabilized however they still required hospital treatment.

According to information posted online by Health Canada and the RCMP, fentanyl is a powerful prescription painkiller about 100 times more toxic than morphine. It has been mixed with other drugs such as heroin and cocaine and also used in tablets made to look like prescription drugs.

Overdoses have occurred where individuals were not aware they were consuming fentanyl.