Members of the Blood Tribe participate in anti-drug rally. Photo from Blood Tribe Chief & Council / Facebook

Members of the Blood Tribe of Alberta say their reserve is suffering from a major drug problem.

The Blood Tribe Police Service won't confirm whether any recent deaths can be attributed to a fake prescription drug known as Oxy 80. But the agency has formed a task force that will be dedicated solely to drug-related issues.

Tribal members believe 10 people have died in connection with the fake drug. They launched a three-day rally on Monday under the slogan “We are mad, We are hurt, We are fed up," The Lethbridge Herald reported.

“We started this after we’ve noticed a lot of deaths in our community about this Oxy 80,” organizer Pamela Little Bear told the paper.

About 100 people attended the rally on Monday, the paper said, on the same day a woman was in court on drug trafficking charges. She had been arrested by tribal police.

Get the Story:
Outcry over drug deaths (The Lethbridge Herald 1/20)
Woman in court on drug charges (The Lethbridge Herald 1/20)
Battling the Blood Tribe drug problem (Global News 1/19)