Fentanyl 4 times higher in Vancouver wastewater than in other Canadian cities
Just-released results of a federal wastewater survey appear to back up other evidence that drug use increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and suggest fentanyl use was significantly higher in Vancouver than in other major Canadian cities.
Data collected during the Canadian Wastewater Survey, results of which were posted by Statistics Canada Monday, showed the per-capita loads of fentanyl metabolite in Vancouver's samples were more than four times higher than in any other city examined.
Metabolites are substances made by the body to break down food, drugs or chemicals, therefore their presence suggests the source of the metabolites had ingested the associated substances.
According to StatCan, this was the case with samples from both March to July 2019 and from January to July 2020.
The CWS tested wastewater in five cities (Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax) for the presence of 14 drugs. The results showed levels of cannabis, fentanyl and methamphetamine "significantly increased" early in the pandemic, StatCan said.
Compared to the others, the synthetic opioid fentanyl saw an even more notable increase in wastewater samples as COVID-19 took hold of the country.
"On average, wastewater loads of fentanyl in April 2020 were similar to those observed in the months preceding the pandemic, but were almost twice as high in May, and close to three times higher in June and July."
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Vancouver's samples showed the highest amount of fentanyl, followed by Edmonton and Toronto, then Montreal and Halifax.
Earlier this year, B.C. marked five years since the declaration of a public health crisis spurred by an increase in illicit drug overdoses.
The BC Coroners Service has not yet released data for the first seven months of the year, but an update in June suggested "extreme concentrations" of fentanyl have been found in increasingly more samples of the province's drug supply.
May was the 15th month in a row in B.C. with more than 100 deaths per month due to drug toxicity.
Looking at the period covered by the latest CWS, the coroner had warned 2020 could be B.C.'s deadliest year of the overdose crisis.
Throughout the spring and summer months, the chief coroner reported spiking overdose deaths, including in May when the province saw its highest monthly toll ever.
Many have spoken out about the impacts of the pandemic on both the drug supply and risks users are taking.
Border closures have impacted the traditional supply chain, meaning local dealers have at times had to create their own product. This can lead to inconsistent or unfamiliar doses than a user expects.
Additionally, with the threat of catching COVID-19, some opted to use alone and were hesitant to go to an emergency room. These are among the factors cited by health officials as having an impact on B.C.'s illicit drug death toll.
Data from other StatCan surveys, as well as results from death counts during the pandemic, also suggest an increase in use and in accidental overdoses.
"Results from the CWS are further contributing to this evidence," the federal agency wrote.
According to the CWS data, use of cannabis went up in the initial months, when compared with earlier in the year, but then reverted to pre-pandemic levels.
Halifax had the highest the amount of cannabis metabolite in its wastewater samples, followed by Edmonton and Vancouver. Montreal and Toronto had the lowest, according to StatCan, data backed up by its National Cannabis Survey.
When it comes to methamphetamine (meth), nearly twice as much of the drug entered Edmonton's sewers than Vancouver's. StatCan said this data is consistent with crime-based statistics, which show meth possession offences in 2018 were highest in Edmonton, followed by Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto and Halifax.
It's unclear what use this data may have in the short term, but StatCan said the ongoing collection of wastewater samples will "contribute to a better understanding of the progression and the shifting landscape of drug consumption across Canada during and beyond the pandemic."
The agency said the information could be used by public health organizations and law enforcement to help guide their policies in the future.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.