Opioid deaths decrease in March, April: Alberta government

The Alberta government is reporting that opioid deaths decreased between March and April of this year after a deadly record in 2023 for opioid overdose deaths in the province.

Doctors in Alberta say while it’s good news, it’s not a trend yet. But what’s behind the decrease?

“We are still seeing ups and downs with it. But, we are seeing decreases in overall quantities of carfentanil for example so that’s an important trend that we have not seen as much,” explained Dr. Monty Ghosh, addictions specialist with the Alberta Medical Association.

Dr. Ghosh says that a somewhat less tainted or toxic drug supply is in part behind a decrease in opioid deaths this spring. That’s based on police seizures, wastewater data, and drug testing.

The Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions said that between March and April of this year, there was a 27 per cent decrease in the number of opioid-related deaths, with only 90 in April compared to 123 in March.

Dr. Ghosh says while the numbers are encouraging, it’s only a month of data.

“We don’t know how long this trend will last. We’ve seen previous situations where things looked like they were going in the right direction, but pivoted and got worse.”

Dr. Ghosh also notes while Edmonton and Calgary saw decreases, smaller cities like Lethbridge and Red Deer saw spikes in deaths, the latter, Dr. Ghosh attributes to the closing of a supervised consumption site earlier this year.

The Alberta Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions said in a statement Wednesday they’ll be investing in long-term recovery in the province.

“We are building 11 recovery communities across the province, providing more Albertans a place to receive long-term treatment at no cost. With two of these already online and two more openings this year, we are giving Albertans an opportunity to rebuild their lives and reconnect with their family, community, and culture.”