Bad Coke Alert!

The Georgia Straight newspaper reported today that a batch of contaminated cocaine has been identified in South-Western British Columbia, and has already made 10 people seriously ill.

The cocaine, which contains hog dewormer called levamisole, can be identified up to 48 hours after consumption, prompting the availability of urine testing for users through the BC Centre for Disease Control and a lab in Alberta. Urine can be taken and frozen, then transported to the lab for testing. It can also be identified through the cocaine itself.

The effects may not be obvious, and include fever. It is particularly harmful to people with compromised immune systems, for example, through HIV or hepatitis infection. If you have acquired or consumed cocaine from this area, you are recommended to visit your doctor as soon as possible for testing.