2023-06-27 12:32:59
The number of fatal opioid-related overdoses among 15- to 24-year-olds tripled from 2014 to 2021 in Ontario, according to a new study reporting 752 deaths, 711 hospitalizations and 5,401 emergency department visits during that time.
The death toll among young people jumped to 169 in the first year of the pandemic compared to 115 the previous year, the study by the drug research network of the Unity Health Toronto hospital group reveals.
The researchers also indicate that only 37.1% of young victims who suffered from an opioid addiction had received care during the last year of the analysis, compared to 48.6% among those aged 25 to 44.
“It illustrates the extent of the harm that affects this age group. »
— A quote from Dr. Tara Gomes, study author and researcher at St. Michael’s Hospital
Fentanyl
According to the study, fentanyl was detected in the blood of 94% of young victims during the pandemic, a jump of 10% compared to previous years.
Dr. Gomes points out that the content of street drugs is very unpredictable.
If you are exposed to a high dose or narcotics containing different substances, there is a very high risk of overdose, she points out.
She says there is a need to increase awareness and support services for young people, including the distribution of naloxone kits, an antidote to opioids. About two-thirds of deaths in this age group occurred in residences where it was rare to have naloxone, she points out.
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