Massive St. John’s fentanyl bust a ‘canary in the coal mine’ for danger to come, prof says [Video]

A Memorial University researcher says the jaw-dropping amount of fentanyl police say they’ve seized from a St. John’s trailer is a bellwether for danger to come.

“It would be important to look at this possibly as a canary in the coal mine,” says Gillian Kolla, an assistant professor of public health.

“There have been increases in fentanyl-related deaths in Newfoundland and Labrador and across Atlantic Canada over the past couple of years … it’s really, really important right now to be thinking about the strategies that we can put in place upstream to prevent overdose related deaths.”

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary on Wednesday announced the lab results of a bust in Cochrane Pond Park in September. Police said they’d seized hundreds of grams of fentanyl and similar opiates — far more, said …