NORTHWEST TERRITORIES (September 3, 2026) – The new detection of ethylflualprazolam in a whitish, grainy powder seized by RCMP in Yellowknife in late July has prompted the Chief Public Health Officer to issue a public health advisory about the risks associated with illicit drugs in the Northwest Territories.
About Ethylflualprazolam
The presence of ethylflualprazolam in illicit drugs is cause for concern. Ethylflualprazolam is a high-potency new benzodiazepine that was first detected in Canada on December 16, 2025. It is related to alprazolam (Xanax) and flualprazolam and has no approved medical use. Early reports and forensic testing suggest that ethylflualprazolam can cause extreme drowsiness, long-lasting sedation, loss of coordination and memory loss. Because it is a relatively new substance, its strength, duration and health effects are not yet fully understood. The effects of ethylflualprazolam cannot be reversed by naloxone.
Health risks
In the current illicit drug market, you will not know exactly what you’re getting. There are no visible warning signs that a drug contains other substances, and they cannot be detected by sight, smell, or taste. Ethylflualprazolam has often been sold as counterfeit Xanax. In the NWT, benzodiazepines have also been found mixed with other illicit drugs, including cocaine, fentanyl and fentanyl analogues.
Mixing benzodiazepines with opioids such as fentanyl can make the effects of the drug stronger and long lasting. It can reduce how effective naloxone is during an overdose.
Signs of benzodiazepine intoxication can include:
- Excessive drowsiness
- Loss of balance and coordination
- Memory loss or an inability to follow or participate in a conversation
High doses of drugs mixed with benzodiazepines and opioids can increase the risk of overdose. This combination can:
- Increase and prolong sedation
- Reduce the effectiveness of naloxone
- Cause serious breathing problems, unconsciousness, or death
What to do if you suspect an overdose
If you suspect an overdose, call 911 or your local health centre immediately.
Signs and symptoms of opioid overdose can include the following:
- Breathing will be slow or absent
- Lips and nails are blue
- Person is not moving
- Person is choking
- Gurgling sounds or snoring
- Severe sleepiness
- Person can’t be woken up
- Skin feels cold and clammy
While naloxone, an opioid reversing agent, will not stop effects of a benzodiazepine overdose, it should still be used as it may reverse the effects when opioids are also consumed. Multiple doses may be required. Once breathing has been restored, naloxone administration can stop, even if the person remains sedated.
What this means for NWT residents
Ethylflualprazolam was first detected in Canada in December 2025 by Toronto’s drug checking service and has since been reported in other provinces. The first detection in the NWT occurred in a drug seizure in Yellowknife in late July. This highlights how quickly new and potentially harmful substances can appear in the illicit drug supply, including in northern and remote communities.
Safety tips for people who use drugs
- Never use alone.
- Start with small amounts over a longer period of time.
- Have naloxone nearby and know how to use it.
- Be within cell service or have another way to call for help.
- Don’t mix drugs with other drugs or alcohol.
Naloxone availability
Naloxone kits are available at all hospitals, health centres, pharmacies and health boxes in the NWT.
Legal protection
The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act protects people involved in an overdose from being charged for possession of a controlled substance. This law encourages anyone to call for help if they witness or experience an overdose.
The Office of the Chief Public Health Officer continues to work with frontline healthcare providers, coroners, RCMP and other frontline first responders in tandem with wastewater testing and community presentations to further understand the risk that illicit drugs continue to impose on NWT residents.
More Information
For media requests, please contact:
Andrew Wind
Manager, Communications
Health and Social Services
HSSMedia@gov.nt.ca