A red drug alert has been issued for the Cochrane and Timiskaming area after officials confirmed stronger and more dangerous substances are being found in unregulated drugs. Northeastern Public Health (NEPH) put out the warning on July 15, 2026, and is urging everyone to carry naloxone and never use drugs alone.
The alert warns that any street drug could contain toxic or fatal substances. Krista Green, Program Manager at NEPH, said now is a time for awareness, prevention, and community teamwork. “Any illicit drug — regardless of how it is used — may contain toxic or fatal substances that can result in unintentional opioid poisonings,” Green said.
Seamus Murphy, Deputy Chief of Standards and Community Services at the Cochrane District Paramedic Service, said crews are worried by what they are hearing. “We are increasingly concerned by reports indicating that stronger and more dangerous substances are being found in unregulated drug products within our communities,” Murphy said.
The situation in the northeast mirrors a wider crisis. A John Howard Society report from April found that drug poisoning deaths in Northern Ontario are more than double the provincial average. In 2024, Timmins had 18 opioid-related deaths, or 40.74 per 100,000 people — one of the highest rates in Ontario.
Free naloxone kits, which can reverse an opioid overdose if given quickly, are available at most pharmacies and all NEPH offices. The health unit also offers free virtual training sessions every month to teach people how to use them. NEPH became Ontario’s largest health unit by area in January 2025 when the former Porcupine Health Unit and Timiskaming Health Unit merged.
