Sarnia police say officers responded Saturday to two separate suspected fentanyl overdose deaths reported within five minutes of each other.
Police said in a statement the suspected drug overdose deaths followed others in the city in the past week.
“Members of the public are reminded that because fentanyl is such a powerful opioid, the difference between a dose that will get you high and a dose that will kill you is miniscule,” police said.
“Addicts are advised to never use in places where help is not within reach, to have a friend with you, and to have a naloxone kit on hand.”
Earlier in the week, city police announced a drug and weapons seizure that included 137 grams of suspected fentanyl.
Lambton Public Health reported in September that there had been nine opioid overdose-related deaths locally between January and March.
“The drug game has changed in Sarnia. . . with a generalized trend towards powered fentanyl,” Det.-Sgt. Mike Howell said after city police seized a large amount of the drug in September.
“It’s disturbing because fentanyl, as a synthetic opioid, is 50 times stronger than heroin” and has resulted in “a large number of overdoses in our city,” Howell said.
At the time, Dr. Del Donald, with the Bluewater Methadone Clinic in Sarnia, said powered fentanyl use made up almost 100 per cent of the clinic’s cases.
City police urged the public to call 911 immediately if they suspect an overdose is occurring.
“If an overdose is not immediately treated, the person can die or sustain brain damage,” police said.