Alberta RCMP responded to over 100% more drug overdoses this year

The Alberta RCMP responded to 1,026 suspected drug overdoses from January 2023 to November 2023, compared to 511 in all of 2022.

Of those suspected overdoses, 347 were deadly, that’s a 33.8 per cent increase in fatalities from last year.

The Alberta RCMP issued a warning Wednesday, stressing street drugs are often not what they seem.

“The numbers were so staggering,” said RCMP public information officer Matthew Howell.

“It really does jump off the paper… It’s something that cannot be ignored. We’ve been seeing it a lot.”

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RCMP pointed to the practice of cutting fentanyl, where fentanyl is mixed with other substances to create a cheaper high. But the RCMP say a side effect of this mixing is that it reduces the effectiveness of naloxone, “meaning more doses are needed in order to save someone’s life, if it works at all.”

“They make it more resistant to naloxone,” Howell explained. “Which means that anyone who’s taking their regular dose and has that kit ready, they put their naloxone dose in when they realize they’re about to overdose and it doesn’t work. Sometimes you’re two or three doses in and it’s still not working because this mixture has created, essentially, a resistance to naloxone.”

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The Alberta RCMP reported a 24 per cent increase in the number of naloxone deployments in 2023 compared to the year prior.

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Alberta’s substance-use surveillance system recorded 1,411 opioid-related deaths between January 2023 and September 2023.

Over the same time period last year, there were 1,124 opioid-related deaths.

The rate of drug poisoning deaths (per 100,000 people) is the highest it’s ever been in Alberta, according to the provincial data, and three times higher than it was in 2016.

The death rate in 2016 was 13.2 (per 100,000 people), 33.4 in 2022 and 40.8 this year.

“Any loss of life is tragic and now we’re seeing more loss of life in regards to this,” Howell said. “And moreover, because of this cutting of fentanyl, we’re expecting to see more.”

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Edmonton’s fire chief said firefighters will have responded to about 9,000 overdose calls in 2023, a 30 per cent increase from last year.

EMS responses to opioid events rose from 7,078 in 2022 to 8,865 between January and October 2023.

Signs of fentanyl overdose:

• Slow, irregular, shallow breathing
• Pinpoint pupils
• Muscle stiffness
• Seizures
• Unconsciousness

1:08 Alberta’s overdose response app has been used 200 times

The RCMP is stressing that anyone using illicit drugs should:

• Never use alone
• Ask someone to check on them (or have someone on the phone)
• Know the signs of an overdose
• Call 911 for help
• Carry a naloxone kit and know how to use it
• Use the Digital Overdose Response System app while using

The addiction helpline can be reached at 1-866-332-2322. It provides information on opioid dependency, treatment and access to support and resources.

The Virtual Opioid Dependency Program can help those struggling with addiction and also also offers information to family and friends.

2:02 Opioid-dependent patients worry changes to Alberta’s prescription methods will be harmful