Opioid Addiction In Canada: How To Turn The Tide?

There’s no denying it: Canada is in the midst of an opioid addiction crisis. This is especially true when considering the stark number of individuals either becoming addicted or succumbing to opioid overdoses. Canadian health authorities have noted that since 2016, some 20,000 individuals have died as a direct result of an opioid overdose.

Sadly, this deepening crisis is getting worse as street opioids (i.e. fentanyl, heroin) become more powerful and dangerous. However, through education and rehabilitation programs, there is hope that Canadians can turn the tide of opioid addiction for those in crisis. 

What Are Opioids?

Opioids are powerful drugs that are designed to treat severe pain. Most often, opioids prescribed to relieve pain in Canada include: Tylenol No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4, oxycodone, morphine, hydromorphone (Dilaudid) and fentanyl. Opioids that occur naturally include morphine and codeine and these are collected from the seed pod of the opium poppy plant. These opioids are further developed into semi-synthetic and synthetic variants such as: hydromorphone, hydrocodone, and methadone. Most often, opioids come in the form of pills, capsules, solutions, or suppositories. 

Opioid Effects On The Body

Designed to relieve pain, opioids are prescribed by doctors for patients with chronic and acute conditions. The effects of opioids can include: 

• Relaxation
• Drowsiness
• Constricted pupils 
• Decrease in breathing rates
• Euphoria
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Sweating
• Loss of appetite 

An individual who takes opioids regularly may develop physical dependence on the drug, and in many cases, after their prescription is no longer valid, they acquire dangerous street opioids. 

Street Opioids in Canada

The most common types of illicit opioids abused by Canadians include heroin and fentanyl. 

Heroin can have dire consequences for those addicted to this substance, as very often it is injected and can cause HIV, hepatitis B or C, skin and bacterial infections, collapsed veins, and fatal overdoses.

Fentanyl is a very powerful opioid: it is 100 times more powerful than morphine. In medical applications, it is given to patients as a patch for pain relief. On the street, fentanyl is found in powder form which then can be made into a tablet, or added to other common street drugs, for example, cocaine and heroin. Due to the unknown concentration of fentanyl in street drugs, many Canadians suffer fatal overdoses in this way. 

Opioid Addiction & Covid-19

It has been noted by Canadian researchers that during the COVID-19 pandemic, opioid addiction along with overdoses from opioids have increased. With lockdown mandates in place, many individuals suffering from opioid addiction simply did not have access to the services critical for their care, or were affected by number limits of patients in clinical and inpatient facilities. The reduction in services, coupled with mental health issues, have caused many Canadians to either relapse or advance their opioid intake due to anxiety and stress. Unfortunately for many of these individuals, death was the ultimate consequence of overdosing on opioids. 

Clearly, the opioid epidemic is an ongoing crisis in Canada. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic mandates being lifted, access to substance abuse treatment centres has returned to pre-pandemic levels and will better help those suffering opioid addiction. 

If you or a loved one is struggling with substance abuse for either prescription or street opioids and would like to get treatment for this condition, please contact us today and we will gladly help you choose from our detox and recovery options.