Series of opioid overdoses spurs warning from Slave Lake RCMP

Three suspected opioid overdoses in the past four days have prompted Slave Lake RCMP to issue a warning to drug users in the community.

"I want to urge anyone that might choose to take opioids such as fentanyl to please rethink that choice," said Slave Lake RCMP Sgt. Marlene Brown.

On Wednesday, RCMP went to a home where they found a 37-year-old man dead.

While an autopsy is scheduled to determine the cause of death, investigators believe opioids were involved.

A short time later, officers and EMS responded to call about an unconscious person. They administered Naloxone, reviving the patient, before taking the person to hospital.

The suspected overdoses came two days after police and EMS responded to a call of a person in respiratory distress. EMS administered naloxone, reviving the patient.

The three incidents have police worried.

"Our primary concern and our number one priority is always public safety," Brown said.

"These recent cases have raised concern for us that there may be something very dangerous circulating in our community."

Slave Lake is about 260 kilometres north of Edmonton.