Turn in fentanyl dealers, urges campaign

Brandon Crime Stoppers is getting the word out about the dangers of fentanyl, and hoping users might consider turning in their dealer if they suspect they’re lacing drugs with the deadly opioid.

While at the Canadian Crime Stoppers conference in Hamilton, Ont., Brandon Crime Stoppers board member and former Brandon police officer Blair Cairns noticed a poster they had created regarding fentanyl.

Designed like an “I Spy” book, the poster displays various drug paraphernalia such as needles, pills and powders, with “Find the Fentanyl” centred in the middle.

“You can’t see it, smell it or taste it,” the poster reads. “Be aware. Be safe.”

“I liked what it showed … It’s explicit and it makes a point,” Cairns said. “I asked if we could use it to put up around the community, and they were nice enough to give us permission to use it.”

Cairns plans to put up posters in Brandon School Division schools, as well as Brandon University and Assiniboine Community College.

He’d like to also have it displayed in local community centres, Cairns said, and will provide a free poster for anyone else who’d like to put one up.

“It’s more of an education piece that we’re doing to help the cause and bring this issue to light,” Cairns said.

Fentanyl is much more toxic than most other opioids — approximately 50 to 100 times more toxic than morphine — which makes the risk of accidental overdose much higher.

Fentanylis also being made illegally and sold on the streets, often taking shape as a powder and mixed with other drugs such as heroin or cocaine.

It can also be pressed into pills made to look like other prescription pills such as oxycontin, or other pills including speed.

“It’s odourless, tasteless; kids wouldn’t know that, they wouldn’t know they’re ingesting it … there’s no telltale sign until it’s too late,” Cairns said. “It’s rampant …fentanyl is just something else. It’s killing so many kids, and adults, across the country, so we just want to get the word out.”

The poster also urges people to call Crime Stoppers anonymously if they suspect a dealer is lacing drugs with fentanyl.

“We’re trying to work with the police service to get information on the dealers and hopefully identity some tips to lead to the arrest of those dealers,” Cairns said. “Whatever we can do, whatever steps we can take to get the bad guys, we’re going to do it.”

If you’d like to put up an awareness poster, contact Blair Cairns at 204-901-1464.

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