Fraser Health issued an overdose alert for drugs that are being sold in Surrey.
"White powder (potentially in clear gel caps) is being sold as Mescaline tested as O-PCE instead," reads the alert. The dosing and side effects are "significantly different."
"Mescaline is a hallucinogenic with effects comparable to those of LSD and psilocybin. O-PCE (Deschloro-N-ethyl-ketamine) is a dissociative similar to ketamine with stimulating, dissociative, anesthetic, and hallucinogenic effects. It is active in very small dosages. Limited data exists about the toxicity of O-PCE in humans," reads the alert.
The warning also listed tips for safe drug use, as well as links to local harm reduction services and how to get your drugs checked.
The alert was posted online and sent via text using the Toxic Drug and Health Alerts System, which is managed by BC Centre for Disease Control.
Text notifications are sent to subscribers who want timely information about illicit substances and increases in toxic drug poisonings in their region, the health authority says. To subscribe, text JOIN to 253787 (ALERTS).
