The overdose crisis is one of the most serious public health crises our country has ever faced. It is driven by a dangerous illegal synthetic drug supply that is unpredictable and increasingly toxic. Powerful drugs like fentanyl, and other emerging synthetic opioids are flooding the illegal drug supply and resulting in an increase in harms and deaths. No community has been left untouched. The tragic impacts are seen and felt among our friends, our families, and our neighbours.
The data released today shows the continuation of a trend of consistently high levels of opioid-related deaths and harms since 2020. The number of opioid-related deaths, hospitalizations and emergency services responses in 2023 were comparable to what was observed during the pandemic. Since 2016, there have been 44,592 opioid-related deaths. Despite ongoing efforts at all levels of government and with partners across the country, 8,049 people lost their lives to opioids in 2023. That's an average of 22 people dying each day.
We also know that 75% of those who lost their lives were men. Many of these men work in trades and physically demanding jobs, and are more impacted by substance use and addiction than other fields of work. The stigma they face is also great, as men are less likely to talk about their substance use or mental health challenges for fear of being judged or penalized.
That's why we recently re-launched an updated Ease the Burden campaign to offer free resources for men struggling with substance use and to share the message that "it takes strength to ask for help." The campaign also includes information for employers to help start a conversation about substance use and addiction in the workplace. The goal is to create a space where men feel safe and supported to reach out for help if they are struggling with substance use and addiction, to reduce stigma around getting help, and to ultimately save lives.
There is no single solution to addressing this crisis and no organization or level of government can solve this crisis alone. Together with our partners, we must continue to look at every tool we have available to support both public health and public safety. This means investing in evidence-based actions across the spectrum of substance use prevention, harm reduction and treatment. As well, we must continue to try new and innovative approaches to respond to this unprecedented crisis, and modify those approaches as we gain new evidence. We are committed to doing everything we can to prevent opioid-related deaths and harms.
The Honourable Ya'ara Saks, P.C., M.P.
