A powerful opioid up to 100 times stronger than fentanyl has been appearing in record levels throughout the city's drug supplies, according to a recent report published by Toronto's Drug Checking Service (TDCS).

Carfentanil appeared in 14 per cent of the 193 fentanyl samples the TDCS tested in August, the report said, breaking the record for levels seen since the organization began testing and well above the one to two per cent levels that have been seen since April 2023.

"There was a long period of time that we weren't seeing [it], but it has started creeping up since May," said Karen McDonald, executive director of TDCS, which began testing in 2019.

This increased level is also raising concern from community workers due to how they feel the province is handling the issue of harm reduc

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