New report shows record number of overdoses in Montreal — but more people stepping up to help
Officials recorded 1,255 total overdoses, 175 of which were fatal over the last year
Public health officials in Montreal say the last year saw the most overdose interventions ever recorded in the city.
According to a new report, officials counted 1,255 total overdoses, 175 of which were fatal.
And the current wave of drug overdoses is affecting all age groups and all classes of society.
The new data, released by the Direction régionale de santé publique de Montréal (DRSP), reveals 77 per cent of overdose deaths occur in homes, while around nine per cent of deaths involve people experiencing homelessness.
These figures were compiled between Aug. 2022 and July 2023 in the Montreal area. Out of the 175 people who died from an overdose, 138 were men. A closer look also reveals that the age group most affected are those between 40 and 59.
"It's important to remember that behind these figures, each figure represents a person with a history, a family and loved ones," said Dr. Benoit Corriveau, who specializes in preventive medicine and harm reduction at the DRSP.
Thursday is International Overdose Awareness Day, and the DRSP is hoping to help break down certain taboos.
"We need to talk about it," said Corriveau. "We have to take advantage of occasions like this to explain that there is often a context. There are many socio-economic factors, and there may have been previous traumas. There are lots of reasons why people might use psychoactive substances."
Chantal Montmorency, executive director of the Association Québécoise pour la promotion de la santé des personnes utilisatrices de drogues (AQPSUD), suggests that many people use drugs to ease physical or emotional pain.
"We're talking about suffering. We need to accept as a society that sometimes, there is physical or mental suffering that requires medication, and if we don't provide people with the substance they need, they'll go elsewhere and self-medicate," she said.
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Montmorency says the statistics out of the new report don't surprise her.
The typical victim is not "the young punk we imagine," she said. In her eyes, they are far more likely to be men from a generation who have not learned to talk about their pain or take care of themselves.
More people obtaining naloxone kits
According to health officials, despite the numbers, more people appear to be stepping up to do their part by equipping themselves with naloxone kits to help reverse the trend.
Naloxone can save lives by temporarily reversing an opioid overdose, which can buy time until emergency responders show up.
WATCH | How to administer naloxone:
Jennifer Ricard has been going to work every day at the Grande Bibliothèque in Montreal with a naloxone kit in her backpack since July.
"I work in a neighbourhood where people use drugs. I wouldn't want anyone to die because there's no naloxone available," she said.
"It's something very simple to use, it's nasal, it's free and it can save a life. Why wouldn't we [carry it]?"
In an effort to prevent a full-blown opioid crisis, in November 2017, the Quebec government made naloxone kits free at 1,900 pharmacies across the province for anyone 14 and over — even without a health card.
One pharmacist in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood says she's noticed a trend of people picking up a kit, even if they don't personally do drugs or know anyone who does.
"We're distributing a lot of them," said Félice Saulnier, "and we're really pleased to see this increase."
"It's good, because people are aware, they see what's going on in the street. And they want to be able to intervene if necessary."
Saulnier says she's already had to administer the medication before, saying it's "very gratifying to have saved a life."
Supervised consumption sites
A number of additional measures need to be put in place to stem the crisis, according to Montreal public health, which has recommended decriminalizing the possession of all drugs — something Montmorency from AQPSUD applauds.
"Using drugs doesn't mean you're addicted and sick," she argues. "Nor should we be criminalized just because we use drugs, because legal drugs are plentiful. The drug that wreaks the most havoc is alcohol, and it's everywhere."
Among the actions to be taken in the shorter term, public health is talking about better support for supervised consumption services. There's even a desire to expand the offer by opening more sites outside central neighbourhoods.
These sites, run by community organizations Spectre de rue, Dopamine, CACTUS Montréal and l'Anonyme, have prevented a large number of deaths. An average of 49 emergency interventions per month are reported at these facilities.
According to Corriveau, public health also wants to increase the availability of drug testing and provide more widespread training of the use of naloxone.
Corrections
- A previous version of this story stated that Montreal has experienced a record number of overdose fatalities over the last year. In fact, public health officials say the record applies to the number of overall overdose interventions, which reached 1,255.Aug 31, 2023 2:14 PM ET
based on a report by Radio-Canada's Thomas Gerbet, with files from La Presse canadienne