MSTH co-founder says walking back harm reduction wrong choice amid increasing threat of highly toxic illicit drugs

published on November 28, 2024 in My Tri-Port Now

There are concerns a highly potent substance will become more prevalent among illicit drugs sourced on the streets.

Nitazene is a powerful synthetic opioid created in the 1950’s, but never approved for use.

A report by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction says drug checking services, including Vancouver Island Drug Checking and 14 sites coordinated by the BC Centre on Substance Use, first identified nitazene while testing illicit drugs in January of 2021.

The BC Centre for Disease Control reports that in November 2021, VIDC found metonitazene in six samples from Port Alberni. All six also tested positive for isotonitazene, etodesnitazene, fentanyl, caffeine, and etizolam, and were sold as down.

Leslie McBain of Moms Stop the Harm says the threat of Nitazene being mixed into the supply of illicit drugs is yet another reason that a safer-supply of opioids should be available to all people suffering substance abuse…