Members of the Bonnyville RCMP Detachment are watching to see if the dangerous new opioid W-18 surfaces in the community.
The drug first surfaced in the southern reaches of Alberta. It then appeared in Lethbridge, moved to the streets of Calgary and was finally identified in Edmonton last month.
“I suspect it will continue to travel northward. I don't know when or the location but logically we can assume it will continue to travel north, though we haven't seen it yet,” said S/Sgt. Luis Gandolfi.
Gandolfi brought W-18 to the attention of town council last Tuesday.
“It's a new trend we are starting to see in the province. It's my job to keep council informed,” said Gandolfi. “(W-18) has been getting my attention so I wanted council to know that (Bonnyville RCMP) is aware of the issue.”
W-18 is a sister drug of Fentanyl. It is an opioid compound that can be pressed into pills.
Fentanyl is 100 times stronger than morphine, and W-18 is 100 times stronger than Fentanyl.
“It's like anything new. If there's something new, people want to try it if that's their lifestyle. (W-18) is the new kid on the block, a year ago it was Fentanyl,” said Gandolfi.
W-18 can be pressed into pills, or ingested as a powder mixed in with food or liquid. Doses are unreliable as they are manufactured by dealers. The first dose can be deadly.
Gandolfi explained drug trends are slowly changing in the region. Methamphetamine is becoming more regular, as is cocaine.
While trends change, however, the volume of drugs, and the number of drug-related prosecutions have remained relatively the same.
“I would say that the type of drugs we are seeing are changing. We haven't had much methamphetamine in the past, we still haven't. I don't want to alarm anyone, but it is more than it used to be,” said Gandolfi. “Depending on where you live, you're going to see different drugs.”
W-18 is not yet regulated by the Controlled Drug and Substances Act. It is so new that it cannot be identified with current drug testing, including urine sampling.
“It is crucial for the provincial government to immediately work with law enforcement agencies, health professionals and other levels of government to ensure that there is an action plan in place,” said Bonnyville-Cold Lake MLA Scott Cyr.
He added, “Wildrose urges the Alberta government to view the appearance of W-18 in our communities as a public health crisis of the highest priority.”
Since 2015, Alberta Health Services (AHS) has tripled its supply of naloxone kits from 3,000 to 9,000. They are now distributed at 700 locations in 580 community pharmacies and 65 walk-in clinics.
Naloxone is administered to patients who are suspected to have overdosed. It is free to Albertans with a valid prescription.
AHS has also authorized emergency services personnel, registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses to administer naloxone.
AHS has marked Fentanyl as a factor in a fast growing number of Albertan deaths. Albertans ages 20 to 39 have seen the most dramatic abuse rate in the upwards trend.
So far in 2016, there have been 69 drug overdose related deaths detecting Fentanyl. In 2015 there were 274 related deaths, 120 in 2014, 29 in 2012 and six in 2011.
“I am extremely concerned by the reported appearance of W-18 in Alberta communities,” said Cyr. “This very dangerous compound has the potential to kill many Albertans and take our opioid crisis to a terrifying new level. W-18 is even more toxic and deadly than Fentanyl and is an unprecedented threat to opioid addicts.”
Gandolfi suggested the best defence against harmful drugs and user abuse is to talk about it at home.
“I would encourage parents to talk to their kids about Fentanyl, W-18 and all drug use and make it clear what they feel about drugs,” advised Gandolfi. “Kids will listen. If we say nothing, kids get their information from friends or so called friends. I would challenge parents to have those discussions. If they need help we are always available.”
