Québec authorities are warning the public after carfentanil blotters resembling collectible stamps were discovered in the city of Laval.
The public health department of the Laval Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS) urged drug users to be “very cautious” after being informed of the discovery by the Laval Police Service and the Service des Analyzes des Sciences Labs.
“This drug is very dangerous. All opiates can cause a respiratory depression reaction. The individual forgets to breathe and, deprived of oxygen, dies,” said Dr. Jean-Pierre Trépanier, Director of Public Health CISSS Laval. “A small dose of carfentanil is enough to kill an individual.”
THE DARK WEB
Police added the stamps appear to have been purchased on the dark web, which is comprised of content on overlay networks that use the Internet but require specific software and configurations to access. An investigation is currently underway.
The paper blotters were soaked in carfentanil—a synthetic opiate about 100 times stronger than fentanyl and 10,000 times more powerful than morphine. It can lead to death, and the public can unknowingly consume this drug through the skin or through the air.
Police warn people against using this potentially deadly drug that looks like a harmless paper stamp. These blots can be ingested or placed on the tongue to consume carfentanil.
If this type of stamp is found, call 911. Most importantly, refrain from touching it.