Fraser Health issues toxic drug alert for carfentanil in Maple Ridge

MAPLE RIDGE — Health authorities are now warning Maple Ridge residents about the presence of carfentanil in the local drug supply.

In an alert issued Friday (June 12), Fraser Health said light brown granules being sold as down were found with “very high” concentrations of the fentanyl analog.

Carfentanil is between 50 to 100 times more potent than fentanyl and is primarily used in veterinary medicine for large animals.

It may require multiple doses of naloxone to be reversed, with users facing increased risk of overdose through injection, inhalation and ingestion.