A More Dangerous Drug Supply in Calgary
Calgary's illicit drug supply is becoming significantly more volatile — and more deadly. Over the past three months, researchers at the University of Calgary have identified a wider variety of substances being mixed into street drugs, a trend that front-line agencies say is directly contributing to a spike in overdose calls across the city.
Drug checking services, which allow people to test substances before consuming them, have been at the centre of this discovery. Researchers found combinations of opioids, benzodiazepines, and other compounds that users often have no idea are present. This kind of unpredictable mixing dramatically increases the risk of a fatal overdose, since different substances can interact in ways the body simply cannot handle.
What the Testing Is Showing
According to University of Calgary researchers involved in the testing program, the diversity of substances found in samples has increased over the recent quarter. While fentanyl has long dominated the illicit opioid supply, the newer findings point to the presence of novel synthetic compounds and benzodiazepine analogues mixed in — substances that don't respond to naloxone in the same way a pure opioid overdose would.
This is a serious problem for first responders. When someone stops breathing from a combination drug overdose, multiple doses of naloxone may not fully reverse the effects, leaving paramedics and bystanders scrambling.
Agencies on the Front Lines
Several Calgary harm reduction and front-line agencies have reported responding to more overdose incidents in recent weeks, consistent with what the drug checking data is showing. Staff at supervised consumption sites and needle exchange programs say clients are often unaware of what is in the substances they're using — and that awareness campaigns and on-site testing have become even more critical.
Advocates are calling for expanded access to drug checking services across Alberta, arguing that early detection of new and dangerous substances is one of the most effective tools available for preventing deaths.
A Canada-Wide Concern
Calgary's situation is not unique. Across Canada, the toxic drug supply has been evolving rapidly, with provincial health authorities from British Columbia to Ontario issuing repeated warnings about increasingly complex and unpredictable street drugs. The national poisoning crisis has claimed tens of thousands of lives over the past decade, and public health experts say the emergence of mixed-substance supplies makes the problem harder to manage with traditional overdose response tools alone.
Canada's federal government has faced ongoing pressure to expand harm reduction infrastructure, including supervised consumption sites and widespread naloxone distribution, as the nature of the crisis continues to shift.
What This Means for Communities
For harm reduction workers, advocates, and people who use drugs, the message is stark: the supply is less predictable than it has ever been. Testing your drugs, using with others present, carrying naloxone, and accessing front-line services are more important now than ever.
If you or someone you know needs support, the national overdose prevention line is available 24/7 at 1-800-668-6868, and naloxone kits are available free of charge at many pharmacies across Canada.
Source: CBC News Calgary
