11-08-2025
Animal sedative increasingly found in illegal drugs in Quebec
Prescription pills containing oxycodone and acetaminophen are shown in this June 20, 2012 photo. (Graeme Roy / The Canadian Press)
An emerging substance is increasingly being detected in illicit drugs in Quebec.
Called medetomidine, it's primarily a sedative and analgesic used by veterinarians.
Medetomidine is not approved for use in humans, but on the illegal drug market, the new additive is often mixed with opioids, mainly fentanyl.
It is also found in other substances with sedative effects or synthetic benzodiazepines.
Medetomidine is frequently detected in drug samples seized and analyzed in the United States and Canada, according to a recent report by Quebec's public health institute (INSPQ).
In Canada, medetomidine was first detected in 2022 in a powder sample in Ontario.
The substance became more commonly detected in the country in 2024.
According to data from Health Canada's Drug Analysis Service, 925 samples analyzed between January and September 2024 contained medetomidine, most of which were drugs seized in Ontario, accounting for 85 per cent of Canadian detections.
In Quebec, it was first detected in April 2023.
Since then, medetomidine has been found about 20 times, representing less than two per cent of all detections of the substance in Canada.
The main risk of consuming medetomidine is its powerful sedative effect, especially when taken with other substances that work as depressants on the central nervous system.
'This situation is particularly concerning given that people may consume this substance without knowing it,' said the INSPQ.
Other side effects include dizziness, sedation, slow heart rate, hypothermia, low blood pressure, slow breathing and respiratory depression.
Medetomidine can be even more dangerous when consumed with other sedative substances, as it can amplify the effects of drowsiness, low blood pressure, slow heart rate and slow breathing.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 11, 2025.
The Canadian Press health coverage is supported by a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for this journalistic content.
