N.S. authorities investigating after report of fentanyl in cannabis
Posted Sep 6, 2026 11:11:21 AM.
Last Updated Sep 6, 2026 02:36:48 PM.
HALIFAX — Nova Scotia officials say they are investigating after a report that fentanyl was detected in cannabis on a First Nation community.
Membertou First Nation’s health centre says it has issued a drug alert after receiving a report from a community member.
The Nova Scotia government said late Saturday its health department and Cape Breton Regional Police have launched an investigation into the alert.
The province, in its statement, notes that cannabis can only be purchased legally through Nova Scotia Liquor Corp. outlets.
However, the health centre did not say where the cannabis was purchased in its notice posted Saturday afternoon. It did not respond to a request for comment Sunday.
The probe comes amid heightened tensions between Nova Scotia’s Progressive Conservative government and Mi’kmaq communities over the issue of cannabis sales on First Nations.
Premier Tim Houston has previously said fentanyl was found in unregulated cannabis, a claim that police have said they have no evidence of.
His government has come under fire for a series of police raids in recent months that have mostly targeted dispensaries in First Nations communities.
The raids have prompted fierce opposition, including two temporary blockades of Nova Scotia highways that caused traffic slowdowns in the spring.
Last December, Nova Scotia’s justice minister issued a directive to the province’s police agencies to prioritize cannabis enforcement by identifying and disrupting illegal operations and distribution networks.
On that day, the minister also wrote to 13 Mi’kmaq chiefs requesting their co-operation as they direct police to tackle illegal cannabis sales.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 6, 2026.
Eli Ridder, The Canadian Press
