NSHA have received a report from a community partner regarding an opioid of high strength causing toxicity and rashes in the West Hants/Sackville area in Nova Scotia. The drug is sold as fentanyl.
If you use drugs from the unregulated supply (the ‘street supply’), you don’t know what is in them and you don’t know how strong they are. Sometimes, stimulants like crack cocaine are contaminated with an opioid.
Why Is This Dangerous?
🚨 If the stimulant you are using is contaminated with an opioid, you are at high risk of an overdose, which could be fatal.
🚨 There are extremely powerful opioids in the drug supply, and taking even a small amount can be fatal (cause death), especially if you do not have tolerance to opioids.
🚨 Not all opioids can be detected with fentanyl test strips, so people may not know they are taking them.
🚨 Naloxone does NOT work on benzodiazepines, so if a benzo is involved, emergency help is critical. Call 911.
How to Stay Safe: Let someone know, start low, and go slow
✔ Do NOT use drugs alone – Use with someone you trust or call the National Overdose Response Service (NORS) at 1-888-688-NORS.
✔ Start with a very small amount.
✔ Have naloxone ready.
✔ Call 911 immediately for any overdose.
✔ Check your drugs.
✔ Avoid mixing drugs.
✔ Go to an overdose prevention site.
Where to Get Help:
🏥 Overdose Prevention Sites (Supervised places where people can use drugs safely and get help if needed):
• ReFIX Halifax: 2151 Gottingen St. (902-209-9370)
• PeerSix Sydney: 75 Prince St. (902-567-1766)
🆘 If someone overdoses:
• Call 911 immediately – Tell them someone is unresponsive.
• Give naloxone if you have it. More than one dose may be needed if high potency opioids are involved. If there are no opioids, naloxone will be ineffective but will not cause harm – give it anyway.
• Stay with them and make sure they can breathe.
• If they stop breathing, perform rescue breaths until help arrives.
📝 Submit a drug alert
If you come across suspicious drugs or someone has a bad reaction, you can report it to NSDrugAlert@nshealth.ca.
Health And Wellness
NSHA have received a report from a community partner regarding an opioid of high strength causing toxicity and rashes in the West Hants/Sackville area
**** NSHA Release
Unverified Drug Alert, April 2025: Drug Harms Alert
NSHA have received a report from a community partner regarding an opioid of high strength causing toxicity and rashes in the West Hants/Sackville area in Nova Scotia. The drug is sold as fentanyl.
If you use drugs from the unregulated supply (the ‘street supply’), you don’t know what is in them and you don’t know how strong they are. Sometimes, stimulants like crack cocaine are contaminated with an opioid.
Why Is This Dangerous?
🚨 If the stimulant you are using is contaminated with an opioid, you are at high risk of an overdose, which could be fatal.
🚨 There are extremely powerful opioids in the drug supply, and taking even a small amount can be fatal (cause death), especially if you do not have tolerance to opioids.
🚨 Not all opioids can be detected with fentanyl test strips, so people may not know they are taking them.
🚨 Naloxone does NOT work on benzodiazepines, so if a benzo is involved, emergency help is critical. Call 911.
How to Stay Safe: Let someone know, start low, and go slow
✔ Do NOT use drugs alone – Use with someone you trust or call the National Overdose Response Service (NORS) at 1-888-688-NORS.
✔ Start with a very small amount.
✔ Have naloxone ready.
✔ Call 911 immediately for any overdose.
✔ Check your drugs.
✔ Avoid mixing drugs.
✔ Go to an overdose prevention site.
Where to Get Help:
🏥 Overdose Prevention Sites (Supervised places where people can use drugs safely and get help if needed):
• ReFIX Halifax: 2151 Gottingen St. (902-209-9370)
• PeerSix Sydney: 75 Prince St. (902-567-1766)
🆘 If someone overdoses:
• Call 911 immediately – Tell them someone is unresponsive.
• Give naloxone if you have it. More than one dose may be needed if high potency opioids are involved. If there are no opioids, naloxone will be ineffective but will not cause harm – give it anyway.
• Stay with them and make sure they can breathe.
• If they stop breathing, perform rescue breaths until help arrives.
📝 Submit a drug alert
If you come across suspicious drugs or someone has a bad reaction, you can report it to NSDrugAlert@nshealth.ca.
NSHA have received a report from a community partner regarding an opioid of high strength causing toxicity and rashes in the West Hants/Sackville area in Nova Scotia. The drug is sold as fentanyl.
If you use drugs from the unregulated supply (the ‘street supply’), you don’t know what is in them and you don’t know how strong they are. Sometimes, stimulants like crack cocaine are contaminated with an opioid.
Why Is This Dangerous?
🚨 If the stimulant you are using is contaminated with an opioid, you are at high risk of an overdose, which could be fatal.
🚨 There are extremely powerful opioids in the drug supply, and taking even a small amount can be fatal (cause death), especially if you do not have tolerance to opioids.
🚨 Not all opioids can be detected with fentanyl test strips, so people may not know they are taking them.
🚨 Naloxone does NOT work on benzodiazepines, so if a benzo is involved, emergency help is critical. Call 911.
How to Stay Safe: Let someone know, start low, and go slow
✔ Do NOT use drugs alone – Use with someone you trust or call the National Overdose Response Service (NORS) at 1-888-688-NORS.
✔ Start with a very small amount.
✔ Have naloxone ready.
✔ Call 911 immediately for any overdose.
✔ Check your drugs.
✔ Avoid mixing drugs.
✔ Go to an overdose prevention site.
Where to Get Help:
🏥 Overdose Prevention Sites (Supervised places where people can use drugs safely and get help if needed):
• ReFIX Halifax: 2151 Gottingen St. (902-209-9370)
• PeerSix Sydney: 75 Prince St. (902-567-1766)
🆘 If someone overdoses:
• Call 911 immediately – Tell them someone is unresponsive.
• Give naloxone if you have it. More than one dose may be needed if high potency opioids are involved. If there are no opioids, naloxone will be ineffective but will not cause harm – give it anyway.
• Stay with them and make sure they can breathe.
• If they stop breathing, perform rescue breaths until help arrives.
📝 Submit a drug alert
If you come across suspicious drugs or someone has a bad reaction, you can report it to NSDrugAlert@nshealth.ca.
