***Overdose Alert - Williams Lake - May 23, 2025***

Interior Heath has issued an OVERDOSE ALERT for Williams Lake and surrounding area due to an increase in drug overdose events and overdose deaths.

Please ensure your clients are aware of safer drug use tips that can help prevent overdose as well as where they can access naloxone, drug checking and other overdose prevention services in your community.   

Please see printable poster here. 

 

Service Provider Information 

 Substance Use Connections, Mon-Fri:  250-267-6625

Crisis Response:  250-305-8496

Virtual Addiction Medicine Clinic (VAM) 

Our Virtual Addiction Medicine (VAM) clinic offers a full range of opioid agonist treatment (OAT), including buprenorphine-naloxone (Suboxone®), methadone, and slow-release oral morphine (SROM / Kadian®). 

How VAM works: 

• Our team works with you to assess your individual needs, develop a treatment plan, and help you achieve your goals 

• The VAM clinic is virtual, meaning your appointments will take place over the phone no matter where you are in the Interior Health region 

• The VAM clinic does not provide long-term care. Once you are comfortable with how your treatment is going, we will help you find health services in your community 

• If you need help managing prescribed safer supply or alternatives, supervised consumption, overdose prevention, supervised withdrawal from alcohol, or counselling, please contact your nearest Interior Health Mental Health and Substance Use centre at 310-MHSU (6478).  
• Click here to request an appointment.   

No matter what or how you use (smoking, snorting, injecting) take steps to prevent overdose 

• Know the signs of an overdose and be prepared with naloxone. Find out where to get naloxone on the ‘Towards the Heart’ website, under ‘Find a site’. 

• When using substances: 

• Use with others around 

• Use one person at a time so someone can respond to overdose if needed 

• When using your substance start with a small amount, and then go slow. 

• Know the risks when mixing drugs  

• Smoking is not safer than injecting, be cautious when smoking your drugs 

• If using alone, consider using the Lifeguard app which can connect you with 911 emergency responders if you overdose. Download at the App Store or Google Play.   

***Drug Alert - Vernon - May 23, 2025***

Red pebbles sold as DOWN. This drug contains Carfentanil 0.92%, Fentanyl and Fentanyl analog

Carfentanil is 50X to 100X more potent than fentanyl. This drug contains the equivalent of up to a 92% concentration of fentanyl. Extreme risk of overdose and fatal overdose. Smoking is not safer than injecting.

Please click here for a printable version of the poster. 

Please ensure your clients are aware of safer drug use tips that can help prevent overdose as well as where they can access naloxone, drug checking and other overdose prevention services in your community.   

 

Service Provider Information 

IH Mental Health Services: 310-MHSU

Drug Checking:  Medicine Shoppe 778-212-8611

OPS Service:  Downtown MHSU, 3306A 32nd Ave, Vernon. 250-503-3737

Virtual Addiction Medicine Clinic (VAM) 

Our Virtual Addiction Medicine (VAM) clinic offers a full range of opioid agonist treatment (OAT), including buprenorphine-naloxone (Suboxone®), methadone, and slow-release oral morphine (SROM / Kadian®). 

How VAM works: 

• Our team works with you to assess your individual needs, develop a treatment plan, and help you achieve your goals 

• The VAM clinic is virtual, meaning your appointments will take place over the phone no matter where you are in the Interior Health region 

• The VAM clinic does not provide long-term care. Once you are comfortable with how your treatment is going, we will help you find health services in your community 

• If you need help managing prescribed safer supply or alternatives, supervised consumption, overdose prevention, supervised withdrawal from alcohol, or counselling, please contact your nearest Interior Health Mental Health and Substance Use centre at 310-MHSU (6478).  

• Click here to request an appointment.   

No matter what or how you use (smoking, snorting, injecting) take steps to prevent overdose 

• Check your drugs before using! Whether using take home fentanyl test strips or accessing drug checking services in your area, drug checking can inform you about what is in your drugs. Drug Checking services found at www.drugchecking.ca 

• Know the signs of an overdose and be prepared with naloxone. Find out where to get naloxone on the ‘Towards the Heart’ website, under ‘Find a site’. 

• When using substances: 

• Use with others around 
• Use one person at a time so someone can respond to overdose if needed 
• When using your substance start with a small amount, and then go slow. 
• Know the risks when mixing drugs  
• Smoking is not safer than injecting, be cautious when smoking your drugs 
• If using alone, consider using the Lifeguard app which can connect you with 911 emergency responders if you overdose. Download at the App Store or Google Play.   

***Drug Alert - Vernon - May 23, 2025***

Pink chunk/pebbles in multiple samples sold as Down. This drug contains 1 – 2% Medetomidine, xylazine as well as fentanyl/various fentanyl analogues. 

Medetomidine is a non-opioid tranquilizer with effects similar to xylazine. It is up to 200 times stronger than xylazine. While fentanyl will respond to naloxone, medetomidine will not. This can lead to complicated and long lasting overdose symptoms. Medetomidine suppresses respiration and has potentially dangerous cardiovascular effects.

Please click here for a printable version of the poster. 

Please ensure your clients are aware of safer drug use tips that can help prevent overdose as well as where they can access naloxone, drug checking and other overdose prevention services in your community.   

 

Service Provider Information 

IH Mental Health Services: 310-MHSU

Drug Checking:  Medicine Shoppe 778-212-8611

OPS Service:  Downtown MHSU, 3306A 32nd Ave, Vernon. 250-503-3737

Virtual Addiction Medicine Clinic (VAM) 

Our Virtual Addiction Medicine (VAM) clinic offers a full range of opioid agonist treatment (OAT), including buprenorphine-naloxone (Suboxone®), methadone, and slow-release oral morphine (SROM / Kadian®). 

How VAM works: 

• Our team works with you to assess your individual needs, develop a treatment plan, and help you achieve your goals 

• The VAM clinic is virtual, meaning your appointments will take place over the phone no matter where you are in the Interior Health region 

• The VAM clinic does not provide long-term care. Once you are comfortable with how your treatment is going, we will help you find health services in your community 

• If you need help managing prescribed safer supply or alternatives, supervised consumption, overdose prevention, supervised withdrawal from alcohol, or counselling, please contact your nearest Interior Health Mental Health and Substance Use centre at 310-MHSU (6478).  

• Click here to request an appointment.   

No matter what or how you use (smoking, snorting, injecting) take steps to prevent overdose 

• Check your drugs before using! Whether using take home fentanyl test strips or accessing drug checking services in your area, drug checking can inform you about what is in your drugs. Drug Checking services found at www.drugchecking.ca 

• Know the signs of an overdose and be prepared with naloxone. Find out where to get naloxone on the ‘Towards the Heart’ website, under ‘Find a site’. 

• When using substances: 

• Use with others around 
• Use one person at a time so someone can respond to overdose if needed 
• When using your substance start with a small amount, and then go slow. 
• Know the risks when mixing drugs  
• Smoking is not safer than injecting, be cautious when smoking your drugs 
• If using alone, consider using the Lifeguard app which can connect you with 911 emergency responders if you overdose. Download at the App Store or Google Play.