Ottawa·Chat recap

Steve Fischer answered questions about his opioid series

Earlier this week, the CBC's Steve Fischer continued his award-winning reporting on the rise in abuse of fentanyl and other prescription drugs in our area. He also took part in a live chat covering the stories behind the stories.

Live chat took place on Thursday

Steve Fischer and our CBC team won a Canadian Medical Association local health reporting award for our first fentanyl series earlier this year. (CBC)

Earlier this week, the CBC's Steve Fischer continued his award-winning reporting on the rise in abuse of fentanyl and other prescription drugs in our area.

From a mother scared she's losing her son to addiction, to a drug dealer who intentionally limits the people he sells fentanyl to because of its potency, to a doctor who's taking a more personal approach to treating those trying to quit, opioids have established themselves as a dangerous addition to Ottawa-area streets.

Between 2002 and 2012, the number of deaths in Ontario that were directly linked to fentanyl grew from 10 to 116.

The number of deaths as a direct result of oxycodone use rose from 35 to 142 in the same time frame.

Steve talked about the stories behind the stories — how the series came together, how the characters are doing — in a live chat on Thursday. You can click on the link below to see the recap.