Urgent need in Alberta to address potent drug supply, overdose crisis: health experts
Alberta needs to create an emergency program similar to ones in other provinces to address a toxic drug supply that is killing people, an emergency room doctor and public health professor say.
The number of deaths from poisoning caused by increasingly potent drugs shows no sign of slowing down in Alberta, says Dr. Shazma Mithani. She says she's tired of seeing people die from drug poisoning on almost every one of her shifts at Edmonton's Royal Alexandra Hospital north of downtown.
Mithani says the government has been focusing on recovery programs when it should be working to get more powerful and tainted opioids such as fentanyl and heroinoff the streets.
“We've had sometimes five or six patients come in with severe accidental opiate overdoses within an hour period ... it's just one after the other coming into our resuscitation rooms,” Mithani said in an interview.
She says the overdoses are considered accidental, because users are taking the same doses but of more potent drugs.
“A lot of people (we are able to revive) tell me, 'Well, it's the same amount that I used before and this was a much different reaction.' That highlights the fact that the supply of drugs out on the streets right now is very dangerous.”
The chief medical examiner's office defines a poisoning death as one that results from an acute effect of a drug in a person's system.
Quarterly reports published by the government show that more than 105 people died each month from drug poisoning between May 2020 and April 2021. In March, there were 128 deaths - almost four people every day.
The government has not provided information on how many people have died from drug poisoning since April, but Emergency Medical Services has noted a spike in overdose calls.
EMS responded to more than 2,300 opioid-related calls from January to May.Reports show that the number of calls increased by almost 18 per cent from April to May.
A spokesman for the United Conservative government said the deaths were the result of an “addiction crisis” in the province.
“Addiction is an illness, and with the appropriate treatment, recovery can and should be expected,” said Eric Engler, acting press secretary for Mike Ellis, the new associate minister of mental health and addictions.
“That is why we have dramatically expanded access to recovery services to get people off of deadly substances and into recovery.”
Engler said actions the government has taken in Edmonton include a nasal naxoline distribution project, an overdose prevention app, expansion of virtual opioid therapy and more detox beds.
Elaine Hyshka, an assistant professor at the University of Alberta's School of Public Health, said it's more important for the government to disrupt a drug supply that has become more dangerous since the COVID-19 pandemic forced borders to close.
“There's a lot of fentanyl and other non-synthetic opioids that are trafficked from Mexico and come north to Canada,” Hyshka said.Drugs moving through illegal channels are being cut or adulterated to maintain supply, she said.
Bolstering mental health and addictions treatment is good, she said, but it's futile if people die before they can find the help they need.
Ontario, British Columbia and Nova Scotiaand Quebechave created safe supply programs to tackle potent drug supply, she said.
“All those provinces have received funding from the federal government to ... recruit people who are reliant on the highly toxic illegal market. They get them into a program where they can connect to a prescriber and have access to a larger supply of pharmaceutical grade drugs,” Hyshka said.
“Alberta is kind of a black box ... because it does not do anything to monitor the illegal drug supply here.”
Hyshka and Mithani agree a safe supply program would be a way for Alberta to reduce drug poisonings and focus on recovery.
“We need to see and follow the evidence that harm reduction is what saves lives, not shifting to recovery programs,” Mithani said.
“All those things put together are going to help combat the opioid crisis right now.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 27, 2021.
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News. Fellowship
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will see a gas price spike, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
It's the biggest election in history. Here's why few Indians in Canada will take part
In the Indian general election that gets underway on Friday, almost a billion people are eligible to vote, but a vast majority of the overseas Indian community in Canada won't be casting a ballot.
McDonald's customers left with 'zero value' collection of free hot drink stickers after company ends program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Jury selection in Trump hush money trial faces pivotal stretch as former U.S. president returns to court
Jury selection in the hush money trial of Donald Trump enters a pivotal and potentially final stretch Thursday as lawyers look to round out the panel of New Yorkers that will decide the first-ever criminal case against a former president.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.