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Vol. 63, Issue 39
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New street drug sold under other names A R N E PE TRYS HEN Townsman Staff
There’s a new illicit drug circulating in the community that could cause major problems for opiate users. The drug is an illicit version of Fentanyl, a strong painkiller, that is being sold as the drug Oxy-
contin. The problem, said Dean Nicholson, from East Kootenay Addiction Services Society, is that the dosages the drug comes in are highly variant, which is causing users to overdose. “We’ve had a fatal overdose in the last couple of weeks and we’ve
had a number of overdoses in Cranbrook and other parts of the East Kootenay,” Nicholson said. “That’s not a typical thing that we would see in our region.” He said the society is trying to bring the issue to people’s attention, since people in the
drug-using community may not be clear what they are getting with the drug. He said there has been an increase in opiate-type drug use in the past couple years all across North America. Fentanyl is a powerful painkiller that is used
in hospital settings. Nicholson said now drug dealers have found a way to manufacture an illicit form of the drug and it has found its way into the East Kootenay. “The problem is that it’s much more powerful,” he said, adding that since it’s being illicitly
manufactured, the dosage is variable. “This is where we’re seeing people getting in trouble with overdoses, because they’re taking something that they’re thinking is one thing and what they’re getting is something more powerful.”
He said it is also tending to be younger people in their late teens, twenties, and early thirties who are taking it. “That’s a big part of the concern, that we’re seeing a younger crowd that’s involved in this, that the drug is being sold as something that it’s not,” he said. “That the dosage is putting people at risk for overdose.
See FENTANYL, Page 3
Christian retreat planned for Fort Steele SAL LY MACD ON AL D Townsman Staff
KARRIE HALL PHOTO
The Cranbrook PeeWee Tier Three Ice are pictured celebrating their victory in the East Kootenay League Championships, Sunday, Feb. 23. The League banner will hang in the Memorial Arena. Congratulations all. Pictured above (players): Carson Strom, Ryan Bennett, Brayden Penner, Tage Leiman, Quaid Anderson, Greg Rebagliati, Carson Emmel, Dawson Gray, Carter Wiebe, Brayden Farquhar, Malachi Franklin, Elijah Paulson, Wyatt Marlow, Brayden Thom-Sims, Donovan Anderson, Jaren Hall (missing from photo — Kjell Furlang). Coaches and trainers: Mike Penner, Krister Leiman, Rick Bennett, Dave Rebagliati, Grant Farquhar.
A Christian retreat centre beside the St. Mary River in Fort Steele is up for approval by the Agricultural Land Commission. Haven of Hope would consist of a lodge, five cabins, a chapel and a caretaker facility on the riverfront property near the junction of the St. Mary and Kootenay Rivers.
See RETREAT , Page 3
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