The Nova Scotia RCMP have issued a warning about a new drug found being transported into Nova Scotia from New Brunswick.

Small quantities of pills and powder were originally seized on Nov. 26 and sent to Health Canada for testing, where it was determined they contain isotonitazene, also known as "iso."

Isotonitazene is described as a highly potent synthetic opioid, similar to, but more powerful than fentanyl.

The RCMP described the drugs containing isotonitazene as a purple powder, and white triangular shaped pills with the letter "M" stamped on one side, and the number 8 on the other. The pills have been manufactured to look like the prescription opioid Dilaudid.

The new drug is extremely dangerous, says Debby Warren, executive director of frontline harm reduction organization Ensemble Moncton.

“It is very similar to fentanyl,” says Warren. And like fentanyl, isotonitazene can be found in “Shady 8”, which is pressed to look similar to Dilaudid.

“It can have either [isotonitazene] and/or fentanyl in it,” says Warren. “We do know it’s a very strong drug. Normally when people are being administered naloxone with an overdose, one to two injections will address it.”

But in the case of one recent overdose local to Moncton, four injections of naloxone were required to reverse the overdose, says Warren.

Ensemble Moncton clients are frightened of what could be in the drugs available to them, says Warren, but are compelled to use because they will become extremely ill if they don’t.

“Nobody wants to die, right? They’re very terrified about the quality of the drugs that they have access to,” says Warren.

Ensemble’s demand for Naloxone kits has grown rapidly in the last month or two, says Warren, to the point where its hard to keep up with demand. To make matters worse, the kits come with two shots of naloxone, which may not be enough to revive someone who overdosed with isotonitazene.

Warren says what’s needed is access to a safe drug supply for people suffering from addictions disorder.

“We have very sick people with a complex health issue,” says Warren. “And we don’t have a safe drug supply for them. We don’t have adequate treatment services for them. And on top of that, we have an underground drug supply that is gone awry, and we don’t know what’s in it.”

Warren says people with addictions disorder, who are at risk of encountering drugs like isotonitazene, are part of our communities. “People choose to want to sweep them under the carpet,” says Warren, “but they’re not being beamed in from anywhere. They’re New Brunswickers, Monctonians, and Sackville folks… and they deserve to have empathy and an understanding of how complex this disease is.”

Sadly, Warren says the seizure of drugs won’t really reduce the use of uncontrolled and possibly dangerous opioids like isotonitazene.

“Unfortunately it doesn’t,” she says. “They’re just desperate. They’ll find it somewhere else.”

“People say, well, we have a task force, we’ll stop the pushers,” says Warren. “Well, you know what? How about let’s just address the trauma in people’s lives? Let’s address the mental health issues. Let’s address poverty.”

Hear this story as reported on Tantramar Report: