By James Peters

Drug Alert

Interior Health issues region-wide alert for street drugs contaminated with medetomidine

Feb 11, 2026 | 2:32 PM

KELOWNA — Interior Health (IH) has issued an alert for the entire region concerning contaminated street drugs.

Distributed Wednesday (Feb. 11), the alert warns drug users of substances being sold as ‘down, dope, tranq or fentanyl’.

Several samples taken for testing were found to contain up to 15 per cent medetomidine, as well as carfentanil and benzodiazepines.

IH says medetomidine is known to cause deep and prolonged sedation, respiratory depression, a slowed heart rate, confusion, and hypothermia.

Even more concerning, patients with medetomidine effects will not necessarily respond to naloxone, though IH advises that naloxone should still be administered in case the patient’s symptoms are being caused by other opioids.

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“When combined with opioids or other sedatives, medetomidine can lead to complex and prolonged toxicity, with withdrawal that may be severe and difficult to treat,” notes IH.

People who use drugs are advised to have their substances tested and to never use alone.

More information can be found here.