Street opioids have become even more dangerous on Prince Edward Island as suppliers cut drugs like fentanyl with sedatives such as benzodiazepines and Xylazine, says PEERS Alliance.
The harm reduction and support group, whose name stands for “Prevent, Educate, Empower, Respect, Support,” is urging people who use street drugs to test their supply before taking their first dose.
New numbers from the province’s Chief Public Health Office, released Wednesday morning, show a slight year-over-year increase in the number of opioid-related overdoses between January and March.
There were seven accidental overdoses in those three months of 2023. In 2022, there were five in the same period.
The sedatives are a relatively new addition to the island’s street drug
