A man who entered the lobby of the Hay River RCMP detachment on Feb. 21 became unresponsive and exhibited signs of an opioid overdose, according to the police.
Officers administered Naloxone to counteract any opioids in the man’s system and called emergency medical services.
Paramedics arrived, administered additional doses of Naloxone and transported the man to the hospital, where he regained consciousness. The RCMP stated in a Feb. 22 news release that they do not have an update on the man’s condition.
The Mounties noted that the individual told them he had consumed psilocybin, commonly referred to as “magic mushrooms.”
Because psilocybin would not typically cause such a medical condition, the RCMP believe the drugs that the man took were, unbeknown to him, possibly contaminated with fentanyl or carfentanil, which are potentially fatal opioids.
“This incident highlights the dangers of ingesting any drugs, as there appears to be a variety of drugs in the NWT that have been contaminated with opioids recently,” the police stated. “RCMP would also like to remind people that Naloxone is available for free at any health centre or pharmacy in the NWT. It is easy to administer and could save a life.
“NWT residents who use drugs or have friends and family who are drug users are encouraged to carry Naloxone with them and recognize signs of an overdose. These symptoms include slowed/slurred speech, pin-point pupils, loss of consciousness and shallow breathing. The RCMP would also like to remind drug users to not consume drugs alone, as most fatal overdoses occur when there is nobody around to recognize the symptoms and assist.”