Understanding the Dwindling Stats of the Opioid Crisis in Calgary
Global News, recently reported that Alberta in Canada recorded its lowest single-month opioid death total in four years. This is a significant milestone in the fight against the opioid crisis that has grappled Alberta and Calgary for several years now.
Facing the Cold reality of the Opioid Crisis
Traced back to the late 90s, the opioid crisis developed quietly, unnoticed, until the death tolls began to shock communities into action. Today, variables like homelessness and crime rates continue to intertwine endlessly with the crisis in Calgary.
The Unrelenting Scourge
The opioid crisis has been linked to a surge in homelessness and an increase in crime in Calgary. Some of the most vulnerable individuals in the society stuck in homelessness circles often turns to opioids for solace. The need for addicts to sustain their dependencies spills over into the crime rates, with increases in theft, violence, and public disorder notices.
Historic Decline in Opioid Death Totals
However, it’s not all grim, Calgary and Alberta, by extension, are beginning to experience significant declines in death associated with opioid overdose.
Measurements and Criticisms
According to a report from Global News, the provincial numbers show Alberta witnessed 109 opioid-related deaths between July and September 2019, marking the lowest figures reported since 2016. Critics, however, have raised questions regarding the measurements behind this supposed progress. They argue that there seems to be a shift in drug usage from opioids to methamphetamine – another problematic addiction. In reality, the opioid crisis may not be improving fundamentally, but rather, the problem may be transmuting.
Key Points
- Alberta’s opioid death numbers lowest recorded since 2016.
- An observable relationship exists between the opioids crisis and variables like crime and homelessness.
- Critics question the basis of the reported progress, suggesting a shift in drug usage to methamphetamine.
- The use of Naloxone kits are on the rise with over 195,000 kits distributed since the inception of Alberta’s take-home Naloxone program.
- The advancement on a legal front with the initiation of the Canadian opioid abatement class action.
Naloxone Kits and The Legal War
While critics may question the numbers, there’s no denying the significance of efforts made so far to combat this issue. The widespread use of Naloxone kits is one effort aimed at saving lives from opioid overdoses. Naloxone has proven effective at reversing overdoses, and since Alberta’s take-home Naloxone program inception, over 195,000 kits have been distributed with reported 15,000 overdose reversals.
In addition to public health campaigns, legal measures are being employed to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable. The Canadian opioid abatement class action, initiated in Calgary, is geared towards providing restitution for governmental health care costs related to opioid-related disease, injuries, or conditions.
In Conclusion
In grappling with the opioid crisis, many variables come to play – homelessness, crime, drug use trends, public health campaigns, addiction management, and legal regulations. The reported decline in opioid-related deaths in Alberta may just be a glimmer of hope on the horizon. However, the war is far from won. As with the shifting drug usage patterns, it’s crucial that attention isn’t relaxed. With Calgary leading in the Canadian opioid abatement class action, it’s indeed a fight on all fronts – and hopefully, the tide will continue to turn favorably.
