A new report shows the rate of people harmed by their use of opioids, as measured by the healthcare system, is higher in the Thunder Bay district than anywhere else in Ontario. The Opioid Use and Impacts in Thunder Bay District report , released Monday by the Thunder Bay Drug Strategy and the Thunder Bay District Health Unit, marks the first time the two have collaborated on compiling data to provide information about local trends in opioid-related harms. For instance, the rate of emergency department visits for opioid toxicity "is high, it's nearly double the provincial average," said Cynthia Olsen, the drug strategy coordinator. Data collected in 2016 found 53 emergency department visits for opioid toxicity per 100,000 people in the Thunder Bay district, compared to 32 per 100,000 reported as an average for Ontario. According to the report, the Thunder Bay district also has the highest proportion of residents dispensed methadone or buprenorphine-naloxone in Ontario.

Source: CBC News March 28, 2018 10:30 UTC