Opioid-related deaths between 2019 and 2021 across 9 Canadian provinces and territories

In Canada, the COVID-19 pandemic occurred in the midst of a increased the toxicity of the drug supply.6–8 In addition, for many, growing drug toxicity crisis. [...] Before the emergence of COVID-19, the pandemic exacerbated feelings of anxiety, uncertainty, and the number of accidental opioid-related deaths across Canada loneliness, contributing to increased substance use globally.9–12 The rose from 2470 in 2016 to 3447 in 2019.1 This was accompanied by intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic with the drug toxicity crisis rising opioid-related hospital admissio. [...] Although the tia to a high of 15.6 per 1000 in Alberta; the absolute number of YLL percentage of deaths attributable to opioids varied geographically, in ranged from 93 in the Northwest Territories to 111 633 in Ontario. [...] The dispro- portionate burden of premature deaths among males and Limitations younger adults is consistent with previous findings from Ontario We were unable to study 4 provinces and territories, for which the and the US.31–33 In 2015, the highest burden of opioid-related numbers of opioid-related deaths were suppressed because of deaths in Ontario was among people aged 25–34 years in terms of sma. [...] We did have access to data on all opioid- proportion of deaths, YLL rate and total YLL (8375 YLL);31 people related deaths with ongoing investigations by the coroner in BC aged 24–35 years and males accounted for 20% and 68%, (n = 2346) from the stratified data used in our analyses, with the respecti vely, of all opioid-related deaths in the US in 2016.32 Dur- exception of the time-series analysis.