'It’s scary': Concerns grow over increase in use of potent opioid in Nova Scotia

Concern is growing over the increased use of a potent opioid known as ‘carfentanil’ in Nova Scotia, especially amongst the most vulnerable people in the province.

“[It’s] a version that’s a hundred times more potent than fentanyl and fentanyl itself is multiple folds more potent than the other opioids like morphine or hydromorphone,” explains Mike Gniewek, a physician at Mobile Outreach Street Health (MOSH) in Halifax.

A small sample poses a big problem - Gniewek says the slightest trace can be lethal.

The effects of the drug are even more powerful when mixed with sedatives.

“Fentanyl and fentanyl analogs like carfentanil are often mixed with other sedatives and these other sedatives combined with an opioid, create a huge risk for respiratory depression, which is inevitably what happens with drug poisonings and so we’re seeing this in our drug market right now and it’s really concerning,” says Gniewek.

A small amount of the drug carfentanil is pictured. This amount can be lethal when laced with sedatives or other drugs.

In recent weeks, two people have died in homeless encampments in Halifax.

There has been no official cause of death released for either. However, people living on the streets say they are noticing overdoses are becoming more frequent.

“Having two overdoses that close together is highly unusual. Before that I only saved one other person in the park,” says Kathryn Clreoux, who lives in the encampment at Halifax’s Victoria Park.

A tent encampment at Victoria Park in Halifax is pictured on Dec. 17, 2023.

Gnewiek says these types of toxic drug supplies are tied to thousands of deaths in communities across Canada.

“Typically, out east, things happen a little later. We’ve seen fentanyl and toxic drug supply for a year or perhaps longer, but I am worried that this could be a big spike in the harm associated with these substances,” says Gnewiek.

“Even just recently, over the last month, we’ve seen a cluster of overdose deaths that have been happening. It’s had me pretty worried.”

Part of the problem, according to Gnewiek, is that the drug is easily accessible and cheap.

“It is cheaper for people to be able to access these medications. They’re highly potent so they’re easy to transport. They provide an effect on people in a very small concentration and that’s partially why they’re inexpensive, but it’s also what makes them so dangerous and so I think anyone that’s using an opioid would prefer not to use these dangerous sources but there’s really no other options,” said Gniewek.

A pipe that’s been used for carfentanil and crack is pictured on Dec. 17, 2023.

Clreoux says you can buy the drug for as little as $5 to $10. She said by nightfall, the buying and selling inevitably picks up.

“They don’t have much to do when it’s cold. People get depressed. You get the more release you need, the more high you crave. People get really broke around Christmas and injecting things into your vein is cheaper and a better high. It’s riskier, but they’re looking for that escape, that release.”

Neil Pundick lives in the encampment at Grand Parade. He said he is noticing people use carfentanil more frequently.

“I don’t know what its purpose is, but I’ve been approached by people who want to buy it. Majority of the time it’s carfentanil laced into something else.”

A tent encampment at Halifax's Grand Parade is pictured on Dec. 17, 2023.

Pundick has been living rough for months now. He said not much scares him, but this drug does.

“It’s scary to think about. I don’t want to end up dying. I’ve got a family and a good life.”

Gniewek says he believes a combination of the weather and the dangers related to the drug is the cause of the increase in overdoses.

“If you do have a period of time when you are sedated, you can get hypothermia and so it’s not uncommon for people to take a substance and then be left in the cold and that can contribute to those deaths,” he says.

Gniewek suggests the province look at providing a drug testing service to give people the option to test the substances they plan on using so that they can verify what is in it. Other provinces like British Columbia and Ontario have already introduced this.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.