B.C. overdose spike linked to veterinary sedative medetomidine

VANCOUVER — Victoria Police are warning the public about an increase in overdoses related to medetomidine, a veterinary sedative that health officials says is being mixed with opioids such as fentanyl.

Police say in a Wednesday news release that officers had responded to 15 non-fatal overdoses in the previous 24 hours linked to medetomidine, which can lead to prolonged unconsciousness.

Medetomidine is described by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control as a new substance in the unregulated drug supply prompting it to send out a provincewide drug alert on Monday.

The centre says opioids like fentanyl are now mixed with medetomidine, causing low heart rate, changes to blood pressure, and prolonged sedation.

It says detections of medetomidine have increased to 38 per cent of opioid samples checked by the BC Centre on Substance Use in November 2025.

Karin Goodison, medical health officer with Interior Health, says she received reports from front line workers over the weekend that about 20 people were being found unconscious each night in Trail, “lying out in the cold in the street,” and suffering memory loss due to overdoses.

Goodison says the front line workers describe the situation as the worst they have ever seen.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan, 29, 2026.

The Canadian Press