Drug poisoning deaths surpass record in Alberta in 2023

Recently released data from the Government of Alberta shows that over 2,000 Albertans died from drug poisoning last year. This makes this the highest year on record.

With 2,051 drug-related deaths, 2023 exceeded 2022 by nearly 300 deaths, an increase of 17 percent. An average of six Albertans died from drug poisoning per day in 2023, up from five in 2022.

Of the total number of deaths, 91 percent were due to opioids; However, 88 percent were non-pharmaceutical opioids, defined by the government as fentanyl (and analogues), heroin and designer opioids, which are not typically prescribed.

There was a 22 per cent increase in opioid-related deaths last year compared to 2022, making 2023 a record year for the number of opioid-related deaths in Alberta as well.

DEMOGRAPHY

The data shows that in 2023, the highest number of drug poisoning deaths in Alberta were men between the ages of 35 and 39 with 243 deaths, followed by men between the ages of 30 and 34 with 201 deaths.

68 percent of the deaths were men and 32 percent were women. 55 of the fatalities were people aged 19 or younger.

SUBSTANCES

Data from 1,235 accidental drug poisoning autopsies in 2023 showed that 79 percent involved fentanyl. Methamphetamine was involved in 62 percent and carfentanil was found in 20 percent.

In 2023, non-pharmaceutical deaths accounted for the majority of deaths and recorded an increase compared to the previous year. The number of deaths related to benzodiazepines also increased, while the number of deaths related to all other substances decreased in a comparison of the two years.

LOCATION

Of all drug poisoning deaths in 2023, 743 (36 percent) occurred in Edmonton, followed by Calgary with 660 (32 percent) of the deaths.

The data also shows that the majority of opioid poisoning deaths occurred in the person's own place of residence, with the second most likely location being a public place, defined by the government as any unsafe place that is accessible to others.

The proportion of deaths among the public increased significantly between the first and third quarters of 2023, from 23 percent to 41 percent, before falling to 36 percent in the fourth quarter.

2024

The government also released data for the first two months of this year. There were 140 deaths from drug poisoning in January and 114 in February.

Of the 254 drug poisoning deaths reported so far in 2024, 93 percent were due to opioids.

There were just over 100 deaths in Edmonton and 79 in Calgary.