Montreal Public Health officials are warning a purple syrup that mimics the look of cough medicine is a fake product that can be lethal.
The product, which looks like an approved pharmaceutical medication and is labelled as “promethazine with codeine oral solution,” contains an extremely potent opioid, protonitazene and benzodiazepine.
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Users could be unknowingly exposed to risks of overdose and death, the health department warns. Over time, different mixtures have been identified in similar-looking containers, it added.
It goes by the street names of “Sizzurp” and “Lean” and was linked to a 2023 overdose death in Laval, officials said.
Overdose symptoms may include blue lips and fingernails and difficulty breathing, which are likely to progress to cardiopulmonary arrest, it added.
In the event of an overdose, officials advise calling 911 immediately and administering naloxone if it is available.
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