Carfentanil found after inmate at Sask. penitentiary hospitalized

Carfentanil has been found in Saskatchewan following an incident at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary last month.

On Wednesday afternoon the RCMP received confirmation that carfentanil was present in a substance tested by Health Canada after an incident at the penitentiary in Prince Albert.

At 9 a.m. on July 15, a 22-year-old male inmate was found unresponsive. Naloxone was administered, and the man was taken to the hospital. The incident was not fatal and RCMP will not be providing an update on his condition.

The RCMP is continuing to investigate the incident.

This is the first time the presence of carfentanil has been confirmed in Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction.

“There are severe consequences to being exposed to, possessing or using synthetic opioid drugs. All it can take is being in the presence of carfentanil to put yourself at serious risk of injury or death,” superintendent Rob Cameron, officer in charge, RCMP federal policing said in a news release.

The RCMP is reminding people the conditions under which illegal drugs are made are not con- trolled, do not meet any safety standards and may be contaminated with other substances and drugs. Carfentanil is often used or mixed with other drugs to make it more potent.

The RCMP said it is unknown how much or what chemicals or other substances may have been added to dilute or contaminate drug purity. The RCMP wants to remind people that if they think someone is experiencing an opioid overdose to call 9-1-1 immediately.