(Canadian Press) — Nearly 4,000 Canadians died from apparent opioid overdoses last year, with men the most likely victims and fentanyl the clear culprit, new government figures show.
The numbers released Tuesday came as the federal government announced plans to severely restrict the way drug companies market opioids to doctors.
The death toll rose to almost 4,000 in 2017 from about 3,000 in 2016.
The figures show 72 per cent of apparent opioid-related deaths involved fentanyl or fentanyl analogues, compared to 55 per cent in 2016.
For some, overdoses have became a major cause of death, said Dr. Theresa Tam, chief public health officer of Canada.
“The number of apparent opioid related deaths among 30- to 39-year-olds in 2017 was greater than the number of deaths due to any of the other leading causes of death for this age group,” Tam said. (…)