National data show opioid toxicity deaths in 2024 decreased 17 per cent from 2023, totaling 7,146 deaths and averaging 20 deaths per day versus 22 in 2023. The reductions were uneven across jurisdictions, with decreases reported in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick and Yukon; increases occurred in Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador and the Northwest Territories; Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island were largely unchanged. Possible contributors include a noted drop in potent carfentanil in tested samples and a shift from injection to inhalation. Persistent high death totals prompt calls to maintain harm reduction, supervised consumption sites and treatment resources while addressing underlying social factors.
Reported opioids deaths decreased nationally in Canada by 17 per cent last year, federal figures show, but the decreases aren't happening uniformly across the country, according to a new report. The Public Health Agency of Canada released the most recent data on opioid toxicity deaths showing in 2024, 20 people on average lost their lives per day. In 2023, the average was 22 deaths per day. The grim toll last year was 7,146 lives lost.
On Thursday, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) said despite the apparent decrease, the overall number of people dying from opioids in the toxic drug supply remains very high. It's not known why death rates are declining in many places, though the CCSA did note there was a decrease in potent carfentanil among samples checked, and a shift from consuming by injection to inhalation.
Collection
[
|
...
]