Police suspect a deadly batch of drugs may be circulating in Surrey, B.C.
A statement from Surrey RCMP says three people have died within 12 hours in the city and fatal overdoses are suspected in each case.
Investigators say there do not appear to be any other connections between the victims.
The statement says it is dangerous to use non-prescription drugs purchased from unregulated sources but anyone who makes that choice should follow several safety measures.
Those measures include not using them alone and being careful about dosage size.
Police say users should also have a naloxone kit capable of reversing overdoses and should call 911 immediately if they or anyone else needs medical assistance.