HALIFAX – A recent study indicates that the decline in opioid-related deaths in Nova Scotia during the early COVID-19 pandemic was succeeded by a notable rise in fatalities associated with illicit opioids as the pandemic progressed. Researchers from Dalhousie University in Halifax analyzed data on fatal opioid overdoses and other opioid-related deaths from 2009 to 2023.

The study highlights the distinction between pharmaceutical opioids, which are typically prescribed for pain management, and their illicit counterparts, such as heroin and fentanyl. The findings suggest that illicit opioids have increasingly contributed to overdose deaths in the province. Despite this trend, Nova Scotia continues to report a higher proportion of deaths related to pharmaceutical opioids compared to many other provinces.

According to the researchers, the opioid crisis in Canada has had a severe impact, claiming nearly 23,000 lives between January 2016 and March 2021, with overdose rates continuing to escalate in recent years. The Dalhousie study was published in the Canadian Journal of Public Health in August.

This research underscores the ongoing challenges posed by the opioid epidemic in Nova Scotia and highlights the need for continued monitoring and intervention strategies to address the rising incidence of illicit opioid use and related fatalities.