The Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health evidence summary (2018) stated that
“among women the greatest risk for opioid addiction is receiving a prescription for an
opioid medication. Women are also more likely than men to: hoard unused prescriptions,
report dependence on and craving for opioids, report greater pain dependence on and
craving of opioids, and report greater pain despite chronic opioid therapy for pain relief”
(p 1). Among women opioid users in Ontario, the monthly number of opioid-related deaths
increased 43.6% from February 2020 to December 2020. The largest increases were
observed at a 61.4% increase for the 25 to 44 age group, and 119.5% increase for the 45
to 64 age group monthly (Gomes T., Murray R., Kolla G., Leece P., Bansal S., Bessharah
J., Watford J.. (2021).
Tyndall (2018) wrote that the core of the current crisis is a drug supply contaminated with
potent synthetic opioids, mainly fentanyl and carfentanil. Various testing sources including
border seizures, confiscated street drugs, post-mortem toxicology and front-line drug
testing have confirmed these, and other drugs are pervasive. He also stated, “The public
health response to any poisoning epidemic should be to provide safer alternatives for
people at risk. In the case of the overdose crisis, this would mean providing a regulated
supply of pharmaceutical-grade opioids to people at highest risk of overdose.” (p. E35).
In Ontario we are part of the illegal drug trade’s route from the open border between
Mexico and the United States at our Canadian/USA border crossings. Over 100 countries
now have immigrants crossing the Rio Grande to gain access to the U.S. and some are
bused or transported north. It is not hard to imagine that some will arrive in Canada and
without proper vetting or their personal identification, some will be drug dealers.
Page 7 of 11 August 2022
References
Centre for Excellence for Women’s Health. (2018). Trauma gendered substance use.
https://bccewh.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/TGSInfoSheet-
SexGenderOpioids021318.pdf
Gomes T., Murray R., Kolla G., Leece P., Bansal S., Bessharah J., Watford J. (2021).
Changing circumstances surrounding opioid-related deaths in Ontario during the
COVID-19 pandemic. https://odprn.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Opioid-
Related-Toxicity-Deaths-and-Healthcare-Use-Report.pdf
Gomes T, Murray R, Kolla G, Leece P, Bansal S, Besharah J, Cahill T, Campbell T, Fritz
A, Munro C, Toner L, Watford J on behalf of the Ontario Drug Policy Research
Network, Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario and Ontario Agency for Health
Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Changing circumstances
surrounding opioid-related deaths in Ontario during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Toronto, ON: Ontario Drug Policy Research Network; 2021. https://odprn.ca/wpcontent/
uploads/2021/05/Changing-Circumstances-Surrounding-Opioid-Related-
Deaths.pdf
Tyndall, M.. (2018). An emergency response to the opioid overdose crisis in Canada: a
regulated opioid distribution program. Canadian Medical Association Journal,
190(2), E35 – E36. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.171060
