Drug 100 times stronger than fentanyl found at Saskatchewan Penitentiary
Carfentanil was detected in a substance found at the prison after an inmate was taken to hospital
The Saskatchewan RCMP has confirmed the first case of carfentanil within the walls of the Saskatchewan Penitentiary.
Carfentanil, an opioid 100 times stronger than fentanyl, was present in a substance found at the penitentiary in Prince Albert after an incident on July 15.
A 22-year-old male inmate was found unresponsive. He was given naloxone, an opioid antidote often administered to counteract a fentanyl overdose, and taken to hospital. Police say the incident was not fatal.
"There are severe consequences to being exposed to, possessing, or using synthetic opioid drugs. All it can take is being in the presence of carfentanil to put yourself at serious risk of injury or death," said Supt. Rob Cameron in a news release issued Friday.
According to the RCMP, an amount weighing less than a grain of salt can kill a human.
Because of carfentanil's potency, RCMP say a single dose of naloxone may not be enough to help an overdose victim.