Health unit warns of animal tranquillizer in drug supply in northwestern Ontario, Winnipeg

Sarah Law · CBC News

· Posted: Nov 06, 2025 2:47 PM EST | Last Updated: November 6

The Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) is informing radical astir changes successful the section cause proviso that are putting radical astatine greater hazard of harm, including the summation of fentanyl and carnal tranquillizers successful drugs.

“There's been different substances mixed successful with drugs radical deliberation they're buying for rather a agelong time,” said Donna Stanley, manager of wellness extortion astatine the wellness unit.

“What we've seen precocious is immoderate antithetic reactions and we've had immoderate deaths," Stanley said. She added that those who usage drugs are telling the wellness portion they're noticing their peers are acting otherwise erstwhile they're utilizing these contaminated drugs.

Among the main concerns being reported are:

• Substances sold arsenic cocaine that are causing antithetic symptoms of unwellness, sleepiness oregon unconsciousness.
• Crystal meth and methamphetamine that are investigating affirmative for fentanyl.
• Opioids that are investigating affirmative for medetomidine (veterinary tranquillizer).
• Substances sold arsenic fentanyl that are investigating affirmative for cocaine and butonitazene, an opioid with akin effects to fentanyl.
• A emergence successful cause poisonings, including deaths.

“This is happening successful Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, and communities successful between,” the NWHU said successful a quality merchandise issued connected Wednesday.

Naloxone is utilized to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, but Stanley said “people are getting aggregate doses of naloxone and it's not helping.”

A close-up of the cause analyzer instrumentality wrong the mobile outreach van successful Thunder Bay, Ont. Test results are acceptable wrong minutes. (Sarah Law/CBC)

“These aren't regulated cause proviso chains. So you're buying what you deliberation is 1 drug, and it whitethorn beryllium wholly different cause oregon it whitethorn beryllium the 1 you thought but it mightiness person different substances successful it,” she said.

The Thunder Bay territory continues to person the highest opioid-related decease complaint successful the province, followed by the NWHU’s catchment area, according to the latest study issued by Ontario’s Office of the Chief Coroner connected Monday.

While it’s important for radical to proceed carrying naloxone with them, Stanley said “we don't privation radical delaying successful calling for exigency assistance due to the fact that your naloxone mightiness not bash the trick.”

The NWHU is encouraging radical to trial their drugs earlier they usage them. It offers escaped kits that trial for xylazine, fentanyl, benzodiazepine, medetomidine and nitazenes. Naloxone kits are besides distributed for escaped astatine section wellness units and pharmacies. 

In Thunder Bay, NorWest Community Health Centres operates a mobile outreach van with a cause analyzer connected board. The instrumentality uses Raman laser exertion to scan substances, conducting either hint scans of tiny samples oregon bulk scanning done a wide bag.

For those consuming substances alone, they tin usage the Lifeguard Digital Health App to acceptable a timer, which volition alert exigency aesculapian services of their determination if it's not turned disconnected — signalling a imaginable overdose. 

The NWHU besides recommends radical usage caller cause instrumentality each clip they devour a substance and commencement with a tiny magnitude to spot however it affects them, “especially erstwhile idiosyncratic possibly has a caller supplier oregon thing successful their cause is looking different,” Stanley said.

People tin anonymously stock their experiences with cause consumption, overdoses and trial results with the NWHU done its online reporting system.