N.B. issues warning to public after 9 sudden drug-related deaths
New Brunswick Health is warning the public about a dangerous drug known as bromazolam after several recent deaths in the province.
Dr. Yves Léger, New Brunswick’s acting chief medical officer of health, says the drug has been detected in blood samples from nine sudden death investigations – the first indication that the drug is being used in New Brunswick.
"The coroner's service is the one responsible for investigating certain deaths, including suspected overdose deaths, and during the course of their investigations, certainly when they suspect overdoses, they will run a series of tests to check for a variety of different drugs," said Léger.
"In this case, bromazolam came up as being present in these nine cases. This was a first in New Brunswick and certainly with the number of deaths where this was found was certainly of concern to them [Coroner's Office] and that's when they reached out to us and based on our review, felt there was an ongoing risk in the New Brunswick drug supply, which warranted us to make a release to inform the public."
The province says fentanyl was also detected in some of the cases.
Léger calls the emergence of bromazolam in New Brunswick a “major concern.”
“What is especially concerning is that people do not know it is contained in their street drugs,” he said in a news release Friday. “There are no warning signs of Bromazolam’s presence, as it cannot be detected by sight, smell or taste. There are no telltale signs.”
The nine deaths took place from July to November.
Léger added there may still be a risk to drug users since testing for bromazolam can take months to complete.
The drug can lead to serious adverse effects, including death, especially when taken with opioids such as fentanyl. Léger says there are also concerns about people combining benzodiazepines, like bromazolam, with opioids. The combination increases the risk of overdose and death.
Public Health also warns that naloxone, often used to prevent overdoses, has no effect on benzodiazepines.
The department says it is contacting frontline organizations that work with people using street drugs about how to lower the risk of overdose and death.
Léger says some of those measures include:
- Try not to use alone, if at all possible, or tell someone that you're going to be using so that they can check up on you.
- Don't mix different types of drugs.
- Do testers to test the strength of drugs by trying a small amount first.
- Have naloxone on hand. In New Brunswick, take-home naloxone kits are available.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cisco reveals security breach, warns of state-sponsored spy campaign
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'oesn't get' the global phenomenom.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Student anti-war protesters dig in as faculties condemn university leadership over calling police
Students protesting the Israel-Hamas war at at universities across U.S., some of whom have clashed with police in riot gear, dug in Saturday and vowed to keep their demonstrations going, while several school faculties condemned university presidents who have called in law enforcement to remove protesters.
'Do I ghost her again?': Quebec minister's office ignores questions on housing as a human right
The office of Quebec Housing Minister France-Élaine Duranceau prefers to openly ignore journalists' requests.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
opinion RFK Jr.'s presidential candidacy and its potential threat to Biden and Trump
Although it's still unclear how much damage Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy can do to either Joe Biden or Donald Trump this election, Washington political columnist Eric Ham says what is clear is both sides recognize the potential threat.