Like in many countries, illicit drug use is an ongoing problem in Canada. In particular,
, Canada is currently experiencing an opioid crisis, which has seen increases in
and deaths due to heroin, fentanyl, and other opioids. As of 2020, around 25 percent of Canadians stated they felt
, while 44 percent believed it to be a serious problem. Almost 18 percent of Canadians report that they have used an
at some point in their lifetime, with hallucinogens being the most used illegal drug, followed by cocaine/crack and ecstasy. When cannabis was still considered an illicit drug in the country, it was by far the most used illegal drug, with 42 percent of the
. However, Canada legalized recreational cannabis in 2018.
Most commonly used illicit drugs
Illicit drug use in Canada is more common among males than females and among those
aged 20 to 24 years. Geographical differences in drug use also exist in Canada. For example, in 2019, around 9.2 percent of those living in Quebec reported
cocaine/crack use in their lifetime, compared to only 6.2 percent of those living on Prince Edward Island.
Among teenagers, cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug. Although recreational cannabis has been legalized in Canada, each province has a minimum age of use, which ranges from 18 to 21 years. Dextromethorphan, or couch syrup, is the most common medication teenagers use to get high with around six percent of students in grades 7 to 12 reporting that they had used
dextromethorphan to get high in the past year as of 2019. Furthermore, among clients visiting facilities for supervised consumption sites,
fentanyl was the most common drug used in Canada between 2020 and 2023.
Drug overdose deaths
As is the case in many other countries, opioids are responsible for most drug-related deaths in Canada. In 2022, opioids caused 18.8 deaths per 100,000 population, with the highest
death rates found in British Columbia and Yukon. Opioid overdose deaths are more common
among males and increasingly involve fentanyl or fentanyl analogues. In 2022, around 92 percent of opioid overdose deaths in British Columbia and 86 percent of deaths in Alberta
involved fentanyl. As a response to the opioid crisis and to prevent accidental drug overdose deaths, all provinces and territories have implemented a publicly funded, free naloxone kit program. Naloxone is used to reverse the effects of opioid overdose and is available at pharmacies under the trade name Narcan.
Economic burden of substance use
Many different economic, health, and societal costs are associated with drug use in Canada. The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) analyzed the economic burden of substance use disorders, including
lost productivity, medical costs, costs associated with the criminal justice system, and other direct costs from 2007 to 2020. In 2020, the economic cost of substance use was estimated to be 48 billion Canadian dollars, with productivity loss accounting for 46 percent of the total and healthcare costs making up 27 percent of total expenditures.
Cannabis, cocaine, and opioids collectively accounted for
over a quarter of total healthcare expenses associated with substance use in 2020.
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