CONTAMINATED COCAINE MAY WELL INFILTRATE TERRITORY, OFFICIALS SAY

The Yukon's RCMP and the territory's top doctor are warning residents
to be aware that potentially deadly cocaine, contaminated with animal
antibiotics, is making its way across the country.

Some could well reach the Yukon, they believe.

According to officials, cocaine cut with the hog de-worming drug
levamisole surfaced in British Columbia, Alberta and, most recently,
the Northwest Territories.

Those ingesting levamisole may experience fever or chills, swollen
glands, sores around the mouth and anus, pneumonia, thrush and
potentially fatal blood poisoning.

"I gather this particular form (of antibiotic) is commonly used for
hogs, but if it's taken intravenously, it can cause bone marrow
suppression in susceptible individuals," Yukon medical health officer
Brendan Hanley told the Star Tuesday.

Hanley said this suppression causes individuals to lose white blood
cells critical for defending the body against bacterial infection.

"Sepsis (or acute blood poisoning) is one overwhelming infection that
can occur with a high mortality rate if not detected in time," he
added.

With at least 10 people falling sick in B.C. after using the bad
blow, seven cases reported in Alberta in November and the recent
N.W.T. incident, Hanley said it's likely the contaminated cocaine
will surface in the Yukon.

Both Hanley and Cpl. Jag Soin of the Whitehorse RCMP agree this is
just one more reason to avoid using the highly addictive drug.

"As you know, the use of illicit drugs is always a high-risk activity
because you don't know what you're getting," Soin said.

It is too early to determine if the drugs seized in the recent
Whitehorse cocaine bust were contaminated.

"I'll have to check the drug section with regards to (levamisole),
but analysts usually check it for any contaminants," he said.