Several forms of extremely potent synthetic opioids are being found in random samples of Toronto’s street drug supply, which experts say is indicative of increased risk for people in a city grappling with an overdose crisis.
“What’s very dangerous for people who use drugs is just that the supply is getting stronger, and it’s also just completely unpredictable — and what people are buying isn’t necessarily what they’re getting,” said Karen McDonald, the lead for Toronto’s drug checking service, which operates out of St. Michael’s hospital.
“It’s definitely alarming to us.”