Everything Known So Far About W-18: A Drug 100 Times More Powerful Than Fentanyl
Via scientific analysis, Health Canada has identified some of the blue-green pills that are sold in Calgary as fentanyl, often sold as fake OxyContin, are actually a pill that is 100 times more potent than fentanyl. This drug, W-18, is a synthetic opioid that offers no known clinical benefits. It could be an even larger risk for overdose for those who take them. It is often called fentanyl or fake OxyContin. It has just now been confirmed to be in existence in Calgary.
W-18 is considered a psychoactive drug that is a synthetic opioid and is found in a powder form. It probably comes from labs over in China where these little-known drugs are mass produced and then sold Online. It is believed that these are 10,000 times stronger than that of morphine and 100 times more powerful than that of fentanyl. This increases the chances of overdose and even death. In 2015 alone, fentanyl caused 213 deaths per Alberta Health and approximately 21,000 of the fake OxyConton/fentanyl were seized in Alberta alone.
A search warrant, issued in Calgary, found 110 of the tablets and sent them for analysis at Health Canada. Results were in by Mid-December.
Calgary police believe that W-18 is from China. Staff Sergeant Martin Schiavetta from the Calgary Police Services Drug Unit told the VICE that “Organized Crime” is far behind in the importing of fentanyl. He believes that it is also behind in W-18.
While the search warrant from August yielded a positive test for the W-18 pills, it’s also possible that more were seized without the realization. More testing would be beneficial, however, it’s difficult at best.
Also, many of the pills, such as those that contain fentanyl or the W-18, are referred to as “beans” or “Shady 80s” between many users and the dealers. They’re created in a homemade lab and the actual contents of the tablets may vary greatly from lab to lab.
It’s very similar to when making chocolate chip cookies and varying the amount of chocolate chips per batch. Each individual cookie will have different amounts, in the same fashion, each pill that is created in home labs will vary as to the actual concentration. Without any consistency, the drugs may be more potent at some times than others. Some may have one milligram and another may have three or more milligrams. This is where many of the dangerous issues come in. Someone may try the drug once thinking it’s great and then try it again only to die from an unexpected overdose when they took the same sized pill. With no guarantees of potency, this drug can be extremely dangerous.
Since W-18 isn’t yet regulated as the fentanyl is, it can be very dangerous according to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act of Canada. Thus, it comes down to whether or not something is available or accessible. Worse, the dealers can’t guarantee the potency and thus many overdoses are happening. According to Calgary policy, “the criminal element hasn’t had any foresight or time to consider this”. All they’re out for is the money making aspect of the drug and how they can get their hands on it and sell it. They have no regard for their customers and safety, they’re only out for the money part of the deal.
In 2014 alone, 120 persons died from overdoses of fentanyl in Alberta. In 2015, the number of fatalities nearly doubled. According to Alberta Law Enforcement, fentanyl is the biggest trend in drugs of the year.
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