Latest news with #opioidCrisis
CTV News
26-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Manitoba has highest rate of stimulant toxicity deaths in Canada: data
Manitoba has the highest rate of stimulant-related deaths in all of Canada, according to new data. On Thursday, the Government of Canada released information regarding toxic drug poisonings in the country, showing that Canada has seen a climb in deaths from 2016 to 2024. Last year, Manitoba had the highest rate of stimulant drug-related deaths in the country, coming in at 30 deaths per 100,000 people. The numbers show that this amounted to 448 deaths in 2024, which is up from 412 deaths in 2023 and 317 deaths in 2022. When it comes to opioid toxicity deaths, Manitoba's 2024 crude rate was 24.8 per 100,000 people. This is the third highest rate in the country, with only British Columbia and the Yukon seeing higher rates. In terms of the numbers, 371 people died from opioid-related deaths in Manitoba last year. Though this number is down slightly from 382 deaths in 2023, it's still up substantially from when the Public Health Agency of Canada first began its tracking. When national surveillance started in 2016, there were 88 opioid toxicity deaths in the province, followed by 106 in 2017. The province saw a major jump in 2020 when it went up to 233 deaths, and the numbers only continued to climb from there. How does Manitoba compare? Manitoba falls somewhat in line with what is being seen across the rest of the country. In 2024, there were 7,146 opioid toxicity deaths across Canada and 3,931 stimulant-related deaths. Both numbers are down from the year prior, however, the data shows the country has seen a distinct rise in both opioid and stimulant-related deaths since 2020. In a statement, the provincial and territorial chief coroners, medical officers and medical examiners said Canada's overdose crisis is one of the biggest public health issues Canada has ever faced. The statement noted that though there was a drop in deaths in 2024, an average of 20 people died every day from opioid toxicity in Canada last year. 'All aspects of our strategies to respond to the drug toxicity crisis should be population and person-centered,' it said. 'This includes working together across prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and enforcement to provide solutions. The drug toxicity crisis is complex, and continued coordinated efforts between multi-sectoral partners are key to save lives and improve population health.' The full set of data can be found online.
CBC
13-06-2025
- Health
- CBC
Deaths in correctional facilities demand systemic response, former investigator says
Social Sharing Former federal correctional investigator Howard Sapers says more needs to be done to address the systemic problems that lead to deaths in Canadian correctional facilities. Sapers says coroner's inquests investigating those deaths often repeat the same themes over and over, including issues with staffing and training; questions about the adequacy of policy; and matters related to the infrastructure at individual facilities. "It's like Groundhog Day," he said. "I've read so many of these and participated in so many that … your mind wanders. 'Like, OK, am I still looking at the right inquest? Is this the outcome from that process? Because so often, you see the same things." Sapers made the comments on Windsor Morning Friday after a coroner's jury released 22 recommendations in an inquest into the death of Joseph Gratton. Gratton died of fentanyl toxicity at the age of 31 after overdosing at the South West Detention Centre in 2019. The inquest heard that a cellmate had been sick earlier in the day, but had blamed the illness on something he ate. A nurse on staff had failed to further investigate his symptoms and told the inquest she had a heavy client load and likely would've looked into the situation more thoroughly if she had more time. Jurors also heard that a nurse practitioner at the jail had denied Gratton's requests for Suboxone, a drug used to treat opioid addiction, because he had a history of hoarding medication, and she was concerned he might abuse it. But Sapers said correctional facilities are doomed to repeat the same circumstances if inquests only look at the details of individual cases, instead of addressing systemic problems such as chronic understaffing and overcrowding. "There's these spasms of reform, and then there's backsliding," he said. "And so what we really need is sustained political commitment to getting things as right as we can." Recently, Sapers said, there have been moves to conduct joint inquests into multiple deaths that share common circumstances. Experts already know how to address many of the problems facing the corrections system, he added.
National Post
09-06-2025
- Health
- National Post
Derek Finkle: Pro-drug injection site activists were dangerously wrong on closures
'A lot more people are going to die.' Article content This was the dire prediction oft-repeated back in March by a busload of lawyers who supported a legal challenge filed by an injection site in Toronto that claimed recent Ontario legislation forcing the closure of sites within 200 metres of schools and daycare facilities violates the Charter rights of drug users. Article content The two expert witnesses for that site, in the Kensington neighbourhood of Toronto, are employed by the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, a hospital-run research centre. MAP had played a key role in the establishment of the city's first injection sites in 2017. Dr. Ahmed Bayoumi and Dr. Dan Werb both submitted evidence that overdose deaths in Toronto would increase sharply if half of the city's ten injection sites closed at the end of March because of the legislation. Article content Fred Fischer, a lawyer representing Toronto's Board of Health, one of the intervenor groups in the case, also told Justice John Callaghan of the Ontario Superior Court that reducing harm reduction services in Toronto during the ongoing opioid crisis would have severe consequences — more people will overdose and die. Article content Article content A lawyer for another intervenor, a harm reduction coalition, put an even finer point on it. He said that one of the Toronto injection sites not affected by the legislation was anticipating such an immediate and overwhelming increase in overdose deaths in April, after the closures, that the site was in the process of hiring grief counsellors for its staff. Article content More than two months have passed since then, and now that we're in June, you might be wondering: How many more people ended up dying because of the closure of these sites? Article content According to data that's compiled by Toronto Paramedic Services and Toronto Public Health, the answer, so far, is none. In fact, the number of overdoses in Toronto for the month of April, the first month after the sites had closed, dropped notably. Article content Article content Toronto had 13 fatal overdose calls in April, one less than in March, when the now-closed injection sites were still open. Thirteen is less than half the number of fatal overdoses across the city in April of last year, and significantly below the monthly average for all of 2024 (19). Article content Article content Thirteen fatal overdoses are far lower than the average monthly number during the period of Covid-19 emergency between April 2020 and May 2023 (25). The last time 13 was the norm for monthly fatal overdoses was prior to the pandemic. Article content The number of calls for non-fatal overdoses in April was 161. This may sound like a lot but it's the lowest monthly total so far this year in Toronto. And 161 non-fatal overdoses are 55 per cent less than the 359 that occurred in April of 2024. Article content Remarkably, in the third week of April, there were zero fatal overdose calls, something that hasn't happened in Toronto in months.
Medscape
03-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Rapid Review Quiz: Postoperative Pain Management
Postoperative pain remains a significant concern for surgical patients, with implications that extend beyond immediate discomfort and influence recovery trajectories, patient satisfaction, and long-term outcomes. Effective pain control is not just a matter of comfort — it's a clinical imperative. Yet, this goal must be pursued judiciously, as the overreliance on opioids carries well-documented risks of adverse effects and dependence. The landscape of pain management is evolving. While pharmacologic strategies such as opioids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, n-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, and regional anesthesia continue to play pivotal roles, their limitations have catalyzed a shift toward a more integrative, multimodal approach. Emerging evidence supports the use of non-pharmacological interventions — ranging from preoperative patient education to mind-body techniques and physical therapy — as effective complements that can reduce pain intensity, curb opioid use, and enhance functional recovery. Recent clinical guideline updates for managing postoperative pain emphasize increased use of non-opioid treatments and multimodal strategies. This reflects growing recognition that while opioids are effective, they pose risks such as dependence and adverse side effects. Nonpharmacological and non-opioid interventions such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, NMDA receptor antagonists like ketamine, peripheral nerve blocks, and techniques like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation have been shown to reduce opioid use, improve pain control, and enhance recovery outcomes, especially when healthcare professionals are adequately trained to apply them. Randomized controlled trials support the efficacy of peripheral nerve stimulation for postsurgical pain, and evidence for this and other novel therapies continues to grow. Even patient factors such as sleep quality and the timing of surgery can significantly impact post-operative pain. Programmed intermittent epidural bolus injection was shown to be more effective than other methods in improving both nighttime pain management and sleep quality in post-thoracotomy patients. Oral opioid analgesics can manage pain, but they often cause side effects like nausea, sedation, and sleep disruption, which can worsen postoperative recovery. General anesthesia is used during surgery but has no role in managing postoperative pain or improving sleep afterward. It does not contribute to nighttime pain relief once the patient is in recovery. Learn more about epidural injections. For a patient requiring a minimal hospital stay and quick postoperative recovery, single-injection nerve blocks are often the preferred pain management strategy. These blocks provide effective, targeted pain relief with a rapid onset and are simple to administer, making them ideal for shorter or less complex surgical procedures. Their use has been associated with reduced opioid consumption, quicker mobilization, and high patient satisfaction — factors critical for fast recovery and early discharge. The major limitation to single-injection nerve blocks is the duration of analgesia, typically lasting less than 24 hours. Peripheral nerve blocks and neuraxial blocks are a few types of single-injection nerve blocks commonly used. Continuous catheter techniques are more invasive, require careful monitoring, and carry risks such as infection, catheter displacement, or pump malfunction. These factors can delay discharge and complicate recovery, making them less ideal for rapid recovery cases. Oral analgesics may not provide adequate pain control on their own, especially immediately after surgery. Insufficient pain management can hinder mobility and prolong hospital stay. Multiple-injection nerve blocks are not usually used, instead single-injection nerve blocks are recommended for quick postoperative recovery. Learn more about local and regional anesthesia. A primary benefit of continuous catheter techniques over single-injection nerve blocks for postoperative pain management is that they offer prolonged analgesia, which enhances patient comfort and reduces the need for additional analgesics. Unlike single-injection blocks that wear off within hours, continuous catheter methods — such as continuous peripheral nerve blocks or epidural analgesia — provide sustained pain relief for 2-3 days. This extended duration allows for better pain control, supports early mobilization, and lowers reliance on opioids, ultimately improving recovery outcomes and patient satisfaction. Catheter techniques actually require more monitoring due to risks like infection, catheter displacement, or pump malfunction. Continuous nerve catheters can be used in ambulatory surgery with the evolution of local anesthetic delivery systems and pumps and even in outpatient procedures. While effective, continuous catheter techniques may carry higher complication risks related to catheter management, such as infections or technical failures. Thus, their key advantage lies in providing extended, consistent pain control for patients with significant postoperative pain needs. Learn more about catheter techniques. Nondrug pain management encompasses a range of physical, psychological, and sensory interventions that provide effective, low-risk alternatives to medications. Although effectiveness varies between individuals, TENS can provide pain relief, is noninvasive, and cost-effective. Heat therapy can also relieve muscle tension and pain and improve blood flow, but it can cause burns if used improperly. Cryotherapy can also reduce pain and inflammation, although it can sometimes impair healing and is not suitable for everyone. Cryotherapy can limit blood flow, reduce the delivery of healing agents to the affected area, and cause tissue necrosis or nerve impairment. Individual responses to aromatherapy vary widely, and clinical evidence supporting its effectiveness remains limited. Learn more about heat and cold therapies.
National Post
12-05-2025
- Health
- National Post
Derek Finkle: Controversial drug injection sites among Carney's first challenges
When Mark Carney was asked on the campaign trail about whether federal approval for injection sites would continue under his government, he avoided the contentious topic by saying the effectiveness of those sites was under review. Article content Article content Even in his evasion, our new prime minister was undermining the position staked out by his predecessor, Justin Trudeau. When asked about such controversial initiatives as injection sites and the distribution of so-called 'safer supply' opioids to those with severe addictions, the latter was fond of insisting his government was simply 'following the science.' Article content Article content If science had decided injection sites were wildly successful and necessary, then why does Carney's government need to study them? Article content Article content As it turns out, Carney and his minority government are going to be called on to conclude their alleged study of injection sites sooner rather than later. This is because the federal drug law exemption (required for injection sites across Canada to operate) expired for a site in the Sandy Hill neighbourhood of Ottawa on April 30. Article content The Sandy Hill Community Health Centre, which houses the injection site, applied to renew its federal drug law exemption on Jan. 30. Just a few months earlier, another injection site in the same ward, Rideau-Vanier, which is home to three sites, was granted a five-year exemption renewal under controversial circumstances. Article content So controversial, in fact, that the head of a local arts non-profit has since gone to federal court seeking a judicial review of the insular and secretive process Health Canada utilized in coming to its decision. Article content At the 11th hour, late on April 30, Health Canada advised the Sandy Hill site that it was renewing its exemption — not for five years but only 30 days. The obvious reason for such a short exemption renewal being that Health Canada needs to take direction from the new government. Article content Article content One piece of good news for Mark Carney is that the materials required for his study of injection sites have recently been assembled in a very large, detailed package. This exhaustive analysis of the topic results from a legal challenge filed by an injection site in Toronto's Kensington neighbourhood, claiming that legislation passed in Ontario late last year prohibiting injection sites from operating within 200 metres of schools and daycare facilities violates the charter rights of drug users. Article content Article content The judge overseeing this litigation estimated the case's court record to be 6,000 pages in total. I may be the only journalist to have read it in its entirety. So, free of charge, I will provide Mr. Carney with the Coles notes summary.
