Canada records almost 50,000 fentanyl deaths since 2016 Drug News

The highly addictive opioid is behind the rising death toll in Canada, according to the government.

Fentanyl is increasingly behind opioid overdose deaths in Canada, according to new government data.

About 50,000 people died from opioid overdoses in the North American country between January 2016 and June 2024, the national health agency said Monday.

At that time, fentanyl was highly addictive a synthetic opioid sometimes prescribed to relieve pain, accounted for 49,105 of the deaths.

Meanwhile, the rate of fentanyl deaths has increased, accounting for 79 percent of opioid deaths so far this year, according to the report. This is a 39 percent increase from 2016.

The information was released a few weeks before the newly elected president of the United States, Donald Trump, entered the White House.

Trump’s impending presidential term is over increased attention to the opioid crisis in North America, with the president-elect being threatened Apply a 25 percent duty If neighbors do not do more to stem the flow of drugs and undocumented migrants into the United States, Canada and Mexico will.

Last week, the Canadian government announced a series of new border measures aimed at allaying Trump’s concerns, even if the president-elect’s claims don’t quite match up with the data.

US Customs and Border Protection reported that less than 20 kg of fentanyl was seized at the US-Canada border in 2023.

Still, Canadian authorities have warned of an increase in the domestic production of fentanyl in the country, while law enforcement agencies are paying more attention to the chemical precursors used to make the substance.

Canada’s Foreign Affairs Ministry says seizures of Canadian-made fentanyl in the United States, Australia and other countries indicate that domestic production has outstripped demand, making Canada a net exporter of fentanyl.

According to Health Canada, the overall rate of opioid overdoses is down from last year.

Health Canada said an average of 21 people have died from opioid overdoses so far this year — an 11 percent decrease from 2023.

Still, the agency cautioned that the numbers are preliminary and subject to change.

“We need to be cautious when drawing conclusions about 2024 trends,” the statement said.

“Rates of opioid- and stimulant-related harm remain very high.”