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One teen dead, one critical

A 16-year-old girl died Friday after taking a lethal drug she thought was MDMA, according to New Westminster police. 

Her friend is also in critical condition.

These two young people were the reason why police warned the public on Friday evening about a lethal strain of drugs circulating in the city.

On Friday, the New Westminster high-school students ingested pills that they thought were MDMA—a party drug sometimes known as ecstasy or Molly.

One is dead. The other is in critical condition.

“This is a situation that should be deeply concerning to the entire community,” Sgt. Jeff Scott told CTV News. “We're still actively investigating what the drugs might be. And we're investigating who may have sold the drugs.”

Initial toxicology reports show that the pills were not MDMA, but a mixture of unknown drugs. Sgt. Scott could not confirm whether carfentanil or fentanyl were present.

“We don’t know what the mixture of drugs was,” he said.

The two girls bought their drugs from the same dealer. Police are warning those pills are likely part of a larger lethal batch still in circulation.

Scott is advising drug users who don’t feel well to seek medical attention immediately. He’s also urging teens and parents to take caution.

In the midst of the B.C.’s ongoing fentanyl crisis, advocates are concerned this unidentified lethal mixture could exacerbate the epidemic.

“It'll likely end up in the Downtown Eastside,” Jordan Westfall, president of the Canadian Association of People Who Use Drugs, told CTV News. “People are dying every day… And it's scary to think that, but it could get worse.”

With files from CTV Vancouver

 



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