Fentanyl overdoses suspected in 2 deaths in South Okanagan

Police in the SouthOkanaganare concernedafter a rash of suspected fentanyl-related overdosesthis month.

Two people died andseven people were hospitalizedafter overdosing on what RCMP suspect is fentanyle a potentpainkiller that ismore than 100 times more powerful than morphine.

PentictonRCMPsuspect thatmarijuana may have been laced with the drug.

"Somemarijuanawas brought to us and we'vesent that for analysis to see if it hasfentanylon it," said Corporal Shawn Hall with thePentictonRCMP.

Officers aren't sure if this is part of a bigger problem.

"It could be thatsomeone laced a certain amount of it or a huge quantity or it isisolated," said Hall.

He says one person in Oliver suspected of overdosing on fentanyladmitted to smoking marijuana. But it's not clear if the marijuana was laced or whether it was smoked in combination with other drugs.

Police and health authorities issued a warning to drug users.

"All substance use carries an inherent risk to a person. The risk is even greater with street drugs because you never know what they may contain. Often street drugs have been mixed with other substances and that can have serious consequences for the user," said Jeff Walsh, harm reduction coordinator with Interior Health.

To hear the full interview listen to the audio labelled Fentanyl-related overdoses in South Okanaganon CBC's Daybreak Kamloops.