January 28,2026
RED FM News Desk
The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) has issued a provincewide drug alert following a rise in poisonings linked to changes in the unregulated drug supply.
Officials warn that medetomidine, a potent sedative primarily used by veterinarians, has been increasingly found in the opioid supply in recent months. The BC Centre on Substance Use detected medetomidine in 38 per cent of opioid samples tested, raising serious risks for people who use substances.
The sedative can cause dangerously low heart rates, changes in blood pressure, prolonged sedation, and extreme drowsiness. Overdoses involving medetomidine may result in delayed consciousness, slowed breathing, and other life-threatening effects. Withdrawal from the drug can also be severe, with symptoms including vomiting, chest pain, rapid heartbeat, confusion, and intense headaches.
The BCCDC urges anyone witnessing a suspected overdose to call 911 immediately and reminds that naloxone can safely restore breathing even if non-opioid substances are involved.
The alert also emphasizes safer substance use practices: avoid using unregulated opioids when possible, never use alone, access overdose prevention sites if available, carry naloxone, consider opioid agonist therapy, and use drug-checking services to detect substances like medetomidine.
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