Joint Statement from the Co-Chairs of the Special Advisory Committee on Toxic Drug Poisonings – Latest National Data on Substance-Related Harms

Today, the co-chairs of the federal, provincial, and territorial Special Advisory Committee on Toxic Drug Poisonings- —Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, and Dr. Sudit Ranade, Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health —issued the following statement on the release of the latest surveillance data on opioid and stimulant-related harms in Canada from January 2016 to June 2024.

December 23, 2024 | Ottawa, Ontario | Public Health Agency of Canada

Today, the co-chairs of the federal, provincial, and territorial Special Advisory Committee on Toxic Drug Poisonings- —Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, and Dr. Sudit Ranade, Yukon's Chief Medical Officer of Health —issued the following statement on the release of the latest surveillance data on opioid and stimulant-related harms in Canada from January 2016 to June 2024.

From January to June 2024, there were 3,787 opioid-related deaths, representing an average of 21 deaths every day. During this same period, there were 2,846 hospitalizations (16 per day) for opioid-related poisoning, 18,792 emergency medical services (EMS) responses (104 per day) to suspected opioid-related poisoning, and 13,287 (73 per day) emergency department visits for opioid-related poisoning. While these figures are lower compared to the same period in 2023, the data is considered preliminary and subject to change as updated information comes in from the provinces and territories, such as completed death investigations. Similar fluctuations have been seen before, and while encouraging, we must remain cautious in drawing conclusions on the trends for 2024.

Sadly, the extent of opioid- and stimulant-related harms remains very high, and it is important to acknowledge that these numbers represent lives lost, with lasting and profound impacts on families and communities across Canada.

The most recent data from the Drug Analysis Service (DAS), which analyzes the contents of drug samples collected by law enforcement, shows that from July to September 2024 fentanyl remained the most common subclass identified in opioid samples, reinforcing the prevalence of this dangerous substance. Of all accidental apparent opioid toxicity deaths so far in 2024 (January to June), 79% involved fentanyl.

As the drug supply in Canada evolves, it is important to continue monitoring the variations in the composition of substances across jurisdictions, how these impact drug poisoning indicators. It is also important to collect more detailed data that can be broken down into sub-categories (or disaggregated data) to examine the local drivers of these trends within each province and territory in order to target public health responses.

Health Canada recently launched the Canadian Drug and Substance Watch (CDSW), an early warning system that highlights drugs as they appear on the illegal market. This new tool uses data from multiple sources, including from DAS, public health officials, wastewater and web monitoring to identify and understand the changing trends in drug use and new and emerging psychoactive substances in Canada's illegal drug supply. Surveillance data and the integrated analysis of data from multiple sources, through tools like CDSW, provide a more complete view of this crisis and can help identify potential drivers for fluctuations in reported harms.

Data is essential for understanding the scope of the toxic drug crisis, and this latest data release underscores that substance-related harms remain an urgent public health crisis in Canada. Addressing this issue requires action across a suite of measures at all levels of government, and over the coming months we will continue to work with the provinces and territories to identify local drivers for changes in rates and determine which measures are most likely to have a lasting positive impact. Prevention and education, evidence-based substance use services and supports, and substance controls, are all critical to help mitigate future deaths and minimize substance-related harms. We encourage families and friends supporting loved ones who use drugs, along with all Canadians, to learn the signs of an overdose and carry naloxone.

Dr. Theresa Tam
Chief Public Health Officer of Canada
Co-chair, Special Advisory Committee on Toxic Drug Poisonings

Dr. Sudit Ranade
Chief Medical Officer of Health, Yukon
Co-chair, Special Advisory Committee on Toxic Drug Poisonings

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