05/20/2026
⚠️ Drug Alert –Kamloops ⚠️
Interior Heath has issued a drug alert for Kamloops and surrounding area. Purple/pink chunks/pebbles sold as down/dope/tranq/fentanyl were found to contain high amounts of medetomidine (16%) and fentanyl (29%). High risk of overdose and fatal overdose. Can cause dizziness, confusion, nausea, amnesia, sleepiness, and nodding out for a long time.
Medetomidine is a very strong non-opioid tranquilizer - much stronger than xylazine (200x).
It slows down breathing and heart rate and can make overdoses longer and more complicated. Medetomidine is potentially dangerous to the heart. The high amount of fentanyl increases risk of fatal overdose. The combination of fentanyl and medetomidine can lead to significant sedation. Overdose symptoms may last beyond administration of naloxone.
We urge folks to prioritize safety and take the following precautions:
• Get your drugs checked using test strips or local services
•Know the risks when mixing drugs
•Smoking is not safer than injecting, be cautious when smoking your drugs
• Use at an OPS/SCS site or with someone you trust.
• Use with others around and use one person at a time so someone can respond to overdose if needed.
• Carry naloxone and know how to use it
• Start with a small amount and wait before taking more
• Space out doses and avoid mixing substances
We offer anonymous drug checking in Kamloops (433 Tranquille), Merritt, Penticton, and Kelowna. Find a location near you:
🔗 drugchecking.ca
🔗 drugcheckingbc.ca/find-drug-checking
Service Provider Information:
📞 Local Substance Use Services: 310 MHSU
📍 Kamloops Drug Checking: 250 299 7219
📞OPS and Drug Checking: Interior Health MHSU, 100-235 Lansdowne St. Mon-Fri 9-5. 250-377-6500
📚 Virtual Addiction Medicine (VAM): VAM clinic offers a full range of opioid agonist treatment (OAT), including buprenorphine-naloxone (Suboxone®), methadone, and slow-release oral morphine (SROM / Kadian®).
VAM Appointment: https://www.interiorhealth.ca/.../virtual-addiction...
📍Learn how to reduce overdose risk: interiorhealth.ca - Overdose Prevention
📍 Find free naloxone kits near you: towardtheheart.com/site-finder