As the nation faces an intractable opioid crisis, the National Institute of Health (NIH) found that an equivalent of 8 people died each day due to opioid overdoses in 2016. Issues of illicit drug consumption have spiralled as The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) stated that despite medical restrictions to minimize opioid prescriptions, opioid poisoning had continued to increase, with a rate of 17 Canadians hospitalized every day for opioid-related concerns.
“This public health emergency has impacted families and communities across the province and shows no sign of abating. In 2021 alone, more than 2,200 families experienced the devastating loss of a loved one. In the past seven years, the rate of death due to illicit drug toxicity in our province has risen more than 400%.”
CBC offers a story from a Calgary firefighter, who has witnessed the substance epidemic expand to the uncontrollable degree that the nation is seeing today. Dan Scheuerman states that he is glad to retire, as “it’s not just the homeless who are affected by this crisis”. In the occupation, while first responders are to treat intoxicated individuals, they are placed in a situation of having to watch multiple suicides, resurrecting life-less bodies, and being involved in constant threats has caused long-term mental tolls on members working on the frontlines.
[Prescription drug use in Canada | Checkup Panel. Source:https://youtu.be/bmI6940KJp0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmI6940KJp0)
Prescription drug use in Canada | Checkup Panel. Source:https://youtu.be/bmI6940KJp0
Drug use has been on a rise. This has been especially true in the case of Canada as substance users in the general population of age 15+ increased.