New data show Alberta, Calgary posting worst opioid death rates on record

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The numbers come amid a push from UCP members to finish public funding for supervised consumption websites

Revealed Nov 05, 2023  •  Final up to date 10 hours in the past  •  2 minute learn

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By means of eight months of 2023, Alberta and Calgary are experiencing the worst drug poisoning loss of life charges on file and are on observe for his or her deadliest 12 months in historical past, based on new provincial information.

The numbers come amid a push from UCP members to finish public funding for supervised consumption websites.

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New information revealed this month by the province confirmed an extra 147 individuals died of poisonous drug overdoses in August, making it already the province’s third-deadliest 12 months to this point. The province has already misplaced 1,262 individuals in 2023 to opioids.

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Alberta’s charge of drug poisoning deaths — 41.1 individuals per 100,000 — is considerably increased than latest years. The province beforehand hit a record-high charge in 2021 (36.7 per 100,000), which dropped barely in 2022 to 33.3 per 100,000.

Alberta’s loss of life charge for 2023 brings it near these seen in British Columbia, which routinely experiences the very best loss of life toll by the hands of drug poisoning within the nation. The extra densely populated province is thus far seeing a loss of life charge of 45.3 individuals per 100,000, based on figures up to date on Nov. 1.

Calgary is equally experiencing one in all its deadliest years on file.

Town has misplaced 458 individuals to opioids this 12 months, nearing final 12 months’s whole of 478 individuals and 2021 file of 503 deaths.

Calgary’s loss of life charge can be considerably increased than the provincial charge, reaching 47.3 individuals per 100,00 via the primary eight months.

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Lethbridge soars previous file for deadliest 12 months

In the meantime, the poisonous drug disaster has already hit new lethal heights in Lethbridge.

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Town of about 104,000 has already misplaced 94 individuals to drug poisoning via the primary eight months, blowing previous final 12 months’s file 77 deaths.

These numbers put it at a loss of life charge of 137.5 individuals per 100,000. The southern Alberta metropolis has constantly posted above-average loss of life charges since 2020.

Whereas the biggest portion of deaths routinely happen in non-public residences, the brand new information additionally present drug poisoning deaths are extra incessantly occurring in public. Thirty-eight per cent of deaths occurred in public from April to June this 12 months, provincial information present, whereas 40 per cent occurred in non-public residences.

It’s a stark distinction to the earlier quarter, when 23 per cent of deaths occurred in public and 46 per cent had been in non-public residences.

UCP members vote to finish funding for supervised consumption websites

Members at this weekend’s UCP annual normal assembly voted in favour of a decision calling on the present authorities to finish provincial funding for supervised consumption websites.

The non-binding movement known as the websites “a failed experiment” that fail to fight drug dependancy.

Supervised consumption websites supply clear drug-use gear and different providers, reminiscent of drug-checking expertise which permits customers to verify the contents of their medication.

mscace@postmedia.com

X: @mattscace67

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