Inside Canada’s fentanyl overdose epidemic | SBS Dateline
SBS Dateline・2 minutes read
Canada is in the midst of an overdose emergency, with nearly 600 deaths this year and 35,000 since 2016, 80% linked to fentanyl. Various groups and individuals are advocating for policy changes, safe drug supply, and increased addiction services to address the crisis and prevent further deaths.
Insights
- Fentanyl misuse has led to a significant number of deaths in Canada, with British Columbia being particularly hard-hit, highlighting the urgent need for overdose prevention measures and safe drug supply initiatives.
- Various groups and individuals, such as Dr. Christine Sutherland, the Drug Users Liberation Front, and the Sudden Silence campaign, are actively working towards reducing overdose deaths by advocating for changes in drug policy, increasing access to addiction services, and raising awareness about the impact of fentanyl on both drug users and the broader community, emphasizing the importance of addressing the issue comprehensively.
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Recent questions
What is causing the overdose emergency in Canada?
Fentanyl misuse and overdose deaths.
How are overdose prevention sites in Canada helping?
They aim to reduce deadly overdoses.
Who is advocating for a safe supply of fentanyl to drug users?
Dr. Christine Sutherland.
What is the Drug Users Liberation Front (DULF) doing to prevent overdoses?
Selling illicit drugs at cost.
What is the Sudden Silence campaign raising awareness about?
The impact of fentanyl overdose.
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Summary
00:00
Canada's Fentanyl Crisis: Overdose Deaths Surge
- Canada is facing an overdose emergency with nearly 600 deaths since the start of the year.
- Around 35,000 Canadians have died from drug overdose since 2016, with 80% due to fentanyl misuse.
- Fentanyl, a powerful painkiller, is lethal in small amounts and is causing deaths in Canada and Australia.
- British Columbia has the highest rate of fentanyl deaths in Canada, with an average of six daily overdose deaths.
- A 16-year-old named Roland died from fentanyl overdose after taking what he thought was Xanax.
- Fentanyl is being mixed with other drugs, leading to a rise in hospitalizations among 15 to 24-year-olds in Canada.
- Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, where fentanyl first emerged in Canada, has a high rate of overdose deaths.
- Overdose prevention sites in Canada, like the one set up by Hugh Lampkin, aim to reduce deadly overdoses.
- Dr. Christine Sutherland advocates for a safe supply of fentanyl to drug users to reduce public health harms.
- A group called Drug Users Liberation Front (DULF) sells illicit drugs at cost to prevent overdoses, operating in a legal grey zone.
17:12
Parents launch Sudden Silence campaign against fentanyl.
- A group of parents who have lost children to drug overdoses have launched a campaign called Sudden Silence to raise awareness about the impact of fentanyl, emphasizing that it affects not only drug users but also middle-class individuals in Canada.
- The group is advocating for changes in drug policy, including increased availability of addiction services, opiate alternatives, and reducing the stigma associated with drug use to make it easier for people to seek help.
- Deb, a member of the group, shares her personal experience of losing a child to drugs, highlighting the profound and lasting impact it has had on her life and her mission to prevent others from experiencing similar losses.
- Activists in British Columbia are protesting against the overdose emergency and advocating for safe drug supply in non-medical settings to prevent further deaths from fentanyl and other illicit drugs.
