Opioid-Related Harms in Canada

Abstract

The rise in harms associated with opioids is an issue of increasing public health importance in Canada. The Government of Canada recently reported 2,816 apparent opioid-related deaths across the country in 2016. Recent 2017 data show that deaths involving fentanyl-related opioids have doubled from January to March as compared to the same time period in 2016 (Government of Canada 2017). Additional measures that provide a better understanding of opioid-related harms, such as hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits, are a high priority. The objective of this study is to present pan-Canadian data on hospitalizations and ED visits because of opioid poisoning.