Thunder Bay Issues Drug Alert After Detection of Unapproved Synthetic Opioid
Health officials in Thunder Bay, Ontario, have released a drug alert following the detection of a dangerous substance that was first identified in Toronto earlier this fall.
The drug, known as cychlorphine, is a synthetic opioid that has never been approved for clinical or commercial use. NorWest Community Health Centres (NWCHC) issued the warning on Wednesday after the substance was discovered in pills being sold as blue Percocet tablets.
“These counterfeit pills are designed to closely resemble pharmacy-dispensed medications,” said Brittany D’Angelo, director of mental health and substance use programs at NWCHC. “They match legitimate tablets in color, size, and even stamped markings, making them especially difficult to identify.”
Because cychlorphine has never been approved for human use, its potency and effects are largely unknown. However, health officials believe it likely acts similarly to other powerful synthetic opioids, such as FYL, significantly increasing the risk of overdose.
Thunder Bay continues to report the highest opioid-related death rate in Ontario, according to the most recent data from the province’s Office of the Chief Coroner. The region’s death rate stands at 39.75 per 100,000 people—more than four times the provincial average of 8.35 per 100,000.
Compounding the risk, Thunder Bay’s only supervised consumption site, previously operated by NWCHC, was forced to close earlier this year due to new provincial regulations restricting how close such facilities can be to schools and child-care centers.
Despite the closure, NWCHC continues to offer drug-checking services through its mobile outreach van, which travels throughout the city providing harm-reduction and support services.
“We know most substances entering Thunder Bay originate outside the community,” D’Angelo said. “What appears first in larger urban centers often makes its way here. We’re seeing an increasing number of synthetic opioids that are even stronger than FYL, which dramatically raises the risk of overdose.”
She added that the unregulated drug supply frequently contains additional substances, including benzodiazepines, animal tranquilizers, and other cutting agents used to dilute drugs—further increasing unpredictability and danger.
Free Drug Testing and Digital Support Tools
NorWest’s drug analyzer is designed to detect unexpected or hazardous substances in drugs people have purchased. The goal is to help individuals make safer, more informed decisions about what they are consuming.
The analyzer uses Raman laser technology and can perform either trace scans, which require only a tiny sample, or bulk scans that analyze substances through a clear plastic bag.
The mobile outreach van operates Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., offering free and anonymous services. Community members can contact NWCHC to find out the van’s location; it is scheduled to be in the County Fair area on December 30 and downtown Port Arthur on December 31.
“This is one of the most effective ways for us to understand how the drug supply is changing locally,” D’Angelo said. “It also helps people learn how to reduce risk if they choose to use substances.”
Given that the holiday season can be particularly challenging, health workers are also encouraging people to download LifeguardConnect, a free mobile app that offers addiction-related resources and overdose prevention support. The app allows users to set a timer before using substances; if the timer is not turned off, emergency medical services are automatically alerted with the user’s location, indicating a possible overdose.
Nicole Fieduna, operations manager at Thunder Bay’s Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub—led by NWCHC—described the app as a vital communication tool.
“It helps open conversations within families and communities and gives people another layer of protection,” she said.
Health officials also continue to stress the importance of never using substances alone and always carrying Naloxone, which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
“We recognize that people use substances for many different reasons,” D’Angelo said. “Our priority is to reduce harm and ensure people have the tools and information they need to stay as safe as possible.”
Source: CBC