Police issue fentanyl warning in Bathurst after recent death

Police in Bathurstwarn residentsabout the possibility of fentanyl in the city.

The drug is believed to be in a non-prescription pill form, and police think it was linked to a recent death in the city.

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TheBathurstPolice Force recently responded to a medical emergencywhere they and paramedics were unable to revive a person who had stopped breathing, according to a release issued Thursday.

Police believe the person took various prescribed and non-prescribed drugs. A toxicology report, released this week, alsoshowed fentanyl present in the victim's blood.

The policesuspect the person took non-prescription pills that unknowingly contained traces of fentanyl.

The pills can be manufactured to look almost identical to prescription opioids such as Percocet and Oxycontin.

Bathurstpolice are warning people to stay away from any pills obtained from friends, online vendors or drug dealers.

Fentanyl is a drug prescribed for chronic pain, and is roughly 100 times more potent than morphine. It's been responsible for a rash of deaths across Canada.