Alberta opioid deaths doubled as physical-distancing rules put in place, statistics show CARRIE TAIT <https://www.theglobeandmail.com/authors/carrie-tait/> Sept. 30, 2020
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-alberta-opioid-deaths-doubled-as-physical-distancing-rules-put-in - FOLLOW CARRIE CALGARY The number of deaths related to opioid overdoses in Alberta doubled in the three months after physical-distancing rules reduced traffic at supervised drug-consumption sites, according to provincial statistics. Opioid overdoses, which reached a record high in the second quarter, have killed more people in Alberta this year than the coronavirus, while receiving a fraction of the attention from the government and the public. Experts say Alberta’s decision to report overdose deaths quarterly, rather than more frequently, throughout the pandemic contributes to the drug crisis because it keeps the issue out of the public eye. Jason Luan, Alberta’s Associate Minister for Mental Health and Addictions, noted in a statement that the spike in overdose deaths coincides with an increase in stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. His statement does not mention that access to supervised consumption sites, where people can use drugs under the supervision of health-care workers, has been severely curtailed since the middle of March. “The past few months have led to increased fear and anxiety, isolation, disruption to in-person services, job uncertainty and more,” Mr. Luan’s statement said. “This has exacerbated the struggles of many Albertans, including those struggling with substance use.” Alberta counted 301 deaths tied to opioid overdoses in April, May and June, according a report released on Wednesday. This is 42 per cent more than the previous high of 211 deaths in the third quarter of 2018, and more than double the 148 opioid-related deaths in the first quarter of 2020. Meanwhile, COVID-19 has killed 260 people in Alberta. Alberta tallied 40,755 visits to its supervised consumption sites in Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge and Grande Prairie, and Red Deer’s overdose prevention facility, in the second quarter, according to the government report. In the first quarter of the year, the province recorded 114,430 visits. (Physical-distancing measures that reduced capacity at the sites began near the end of March, which would have dragged down the number for the first quarter.) --- Support News from Underground: http://bit.ly/NFUSupport You received this email because you are subscribed to News from Underground. To unsubscribe from this email list, please go to: http://www.simplelists.com/confirm.php?u=pIdjNUgiG2h8yxbhC54SSy4SEskAoEMs For archives, please go to: http://archives.simplelists.com/nfu
