In Alberta, 2023 has officially become the most dangerous year for opioid overdoses

More Albertans died of opioid overdoses last year than any other year.

CBC News reported earlier this year that it would be 2023 expected It's been the year with the highest number of drug-poisoning deaths — and now provincial numbers back it up.

Newly released data from the province's substance abuse surveillance system shows opioids killed 1,867 people in 2023.

The previous record was set in 2021, when 1,639 people died.

Petra Schultz, founder of Moms Stop the Harm, says it's not just the numbers. Her son died ten years ago from an accidental fentanyl overdose.

“I see more grieving mothers and families than their numbers. But what I see is a catastrophic policy failure for our province,” Schultz said.

The Alberta government says it is committed to addiction recovery.

Schultz says he supports evidence-based, voluntary treatment, but there are major gaps in the province's system.

“We have to keep people alive and that's where the province of Alberta has failed. “They don't live long enough to get to the point where people can be treated,” he said.

Dan Williams, a spokesman for the Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, said his condolences to all the families, loved ones and communities affected by the opioid crisis.

“While the number of people who have lost their lives to addiction is significant, we are cautiously optimistic about the downward trend in the first two months of 2024. February of this year shows a 33 percent decrease in deaths compared to February of last year. the lowest number of deaths of any substance in almost four years,” said Hunter Barill, a spokesman for Williams.

In the first two months of 2024, 237 Albertans overdosed on a toxic drug.

Addiction specialist Dr. Monty Ghosh says it's too early to be a trend, but it's a good sign — he's surprised.

“Everything is moving in the right direction. So although we have a disastrous 2023, I hope it will continue,” Ghosh said.

What the data says

The new data captures important parts of Alberta's evolving crisis, says Ghosh.

For example, he points to data from Red Deer's overdose prevention site, which saw a sharp increase in drug-related adverse events requiring employee intervention in the last quarter of 2023 compared to the previous quarter. These interventions include providing supportive care, administering oxygen or naloxone, or in some cases, an EMS response.

Ghosh said this is important because Red Deer City Council is asking the province to get rid of the site by the end of next year.

“We know these services save lives, so if the municipality tries to close this important service, there could be an increase in overdose deaths in the Red Deer area,” he said.

Schultz, Stop the Harm with Moms, notes that the percentage of drug poisoning deaths among women has increased. In 2023, the number was 31.6 percent, the first time it exceeded a record 30 percent.

“There needs to be people doing the data analysis and (looking at) what that data is telling us. Why is this trend happening? Why are women suddenly at greater risk?” said Schultz.

To prevent further deaths, Schultz says the province needs to invest in harm reduction and drug testing, which Ghosh agrees with.

Ghosh says the province also needs to improve harm reduction education and messaging, and believes Portugal-style drug decriminalization should be explored to better treat addiction as a health issue.