1

Best Solutions to the Opioid Crisis in Canada

Junjie Halasan

Department of English Upgrading, Douglas College

ENGU 0455: Reading/Writing Advance

Mardi Joyce

March 08, 2023

Best Solutions to the Opioid Crisis in Canada

The use of opioids is mainly to relieve acute pain though some users use them to treat

LBM (loose bowel movement) and cough; however, with their relieving effects, it also comes

with side effects such as feeling "very relaxed" or “high” which draws people to use it for non-

medical reasons (NIDA, 2021). Using opioids dulls the ability to perceive pain and increases

pleasure since it typically prompts the brain to discharge the “feel-good neurotransmitters” or

endorphins (Mayo Clinic, n.d.). In history, opioids played significant roles in the United States

and have become more common, leading to addictions and reliance on it (Georgetown

Behavioral Health Institute, 2018). Canada, however, has also been suffering from this crisis.

Carrièr, G, Garner, R., & Sanmartin, C. (2022) showed statistics about the percentage of

residents in Canada misusing opioids: “Among the people who used opioid pain relievers, 9.7%

(roughly 351,000) engaged in problematic use”. Some died from drug abuse which contributes to

the curving rate of Canada’s need for opioid public health emergency. Canada health authorities

cannot ignore this prevalent problem; they permitted the province of British Columbia exemption

from subsection 56(1) under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act “to decriminalize people

who use drugs” to run a three-year decriminalization test (BC Gov News, 2023). However,

difficulties are emerging along the three-year decriminalization that needs adequate solutions.

The best solutions to the opioid crisis in Canada are expanding the treatment programs,

enhancing harm reduction strategies, and increasing enforcement.

Expanding the treatment program across Canada is the first solution in solving the opioid

crisis. Initially, inflating the treatment accessibility in rural areas across Canada will lessen the

risk of overdose death. There are areas “where treatment is not available” (Ackerman et al.,

(2022). There are addicts in rural areas that do not get help because of geographic limitations.
 3

Rural Health Information Hub (2020) emphasized that the inflating opioid problem is not limited

to urban areas and that urban areas mostly get adequate treatment facilities that support and help

addicts. Having an accessible treatment facility could potentially get addicts helped.

Incrementing treatment beds assists in the treatment of users. Having an adequate number of

treatment beds helps alleviate the cases of death due to overdose as it causes more drug usage

among homeless people who are not able to “afford private treatment” (Grochowski, 2021). In

addition, homeless people think it would be better to use their money on drugs rather than spend

it on costly treatment rooms (Norman & Reist, 2021). So, it is significant to increase the number

of treatment beds since it can also reduce the number of addicts on the street (Infrastructure

Canada, 2022). Furthermore, decreasing the waiting times for treatment services increases the

chance of saving addicts from opioids. Research verified that extensive waiting times result in

severe outcomes (Fraser Institute, 2022). These severe outcomes involve delaying medical help

that could lead to dire medical results. In addition, Biya et al. (2022) stated that extensive waiting

times discourage people from getting another treatment. By applying these, Canada would have a

greater chance of solving this opioid crisis.

The second solution to the opioid crisis in Canada is enhancing the harm reduction

programs. First, building an effective safe supply reduces the possibility of overdose death. Users

get a regulated amount of drug supply, which decreases the chance of drug overdosage (Kerr et

al., 2022). Also, a decline in harm from substance use is possible by issuing a safe supply of

substances which gives a higher chance of reducing overdose death. Next, extending supervised

consumption sites reduces the risk of overdose death. Executing drug consumption in sight of a

trained staff averts the chance of overdoses and prevents the spread of other infectious diseases

like HIV and hepatitis C (Parent, 2018). It is also proven, by research, that “supervised injection
 4

sites save lives and lower hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS infection rates” (Health Canada, 2023).

Lastly, hiring more healthcare providers such as nurses, trained paramedics, etc. Having more

healthcare staff ensures that users get appropriate care and avoid having exhausted healthcare

providers. Adequate and appropriate care is vital when it comes to addressing the number of

incrementing users (National Library of Medicine, n.d.). It is necessary to ensure that all users

are provided with rightful care to ensure satisfactory results. However, the number of overdose

cases is incrementing. The Government of Canada (2022) raised awareness about the

“communities reporting record high numbers of overdose deaths, hospitalizations, and

emergency medical service calls.” These emergency medical service calls, however, caused

healthcare providers exhaustion. Farrell (2022) stated that “There’s fallout from duties as well.

The stress, anguish and trauma…the opioid crisis has affected the paramedic community.” With

enough healthcare personnel, all the subjects of drug use, especially those who are overdosed can

get the help they needed.

The last solution to the opioid crisis in Canada is strengthening enforcement. First,

enforcing on-the-spot treatment availability. DeRosa (2023) said that in Portugal, “individuals

caught with drugs” must face an administrative penalty “before a three-person panel” where

individuals will be advised to cease drug use. He also mentioned that in Portugal, “treatment is

available immediately to anyone who asks for it.” This method of war on drugs in Portugal has

proven to help tackle the problem. On the other hand, financial funds need to be supported. It is

hard to keep up with the increasing number of cases caused by the opioid crisis financially. An

example of this is the financial struggle in the State of Oregon, US as they go through the

decriminalization test drive. The annual economic cost tallied on November 2017 in the US

“leapt nearly 600 percent” (Repero-Miller & Speaker, 2019). Klobucista (2022) stated the
 5

damage done by the opioid crisis to the economy: “The CDC calculates that opioid misuse costs

the country some $78 billion per year, a tally that includes costs from health care, lost

productivity, treatment programs, and legal expenses.” Therefore, as the crisis progresses, greater

economic damage will be present. With Canada’s fresh three-year decriminalization, a financial

struggle is expected. Lastly, tracking down and eliminating black markets can also help reduce

death. Black markets are mostly the main cause of the illegal supply of drugs for the sake of

money (Grzybowski, 2004). In this case, drugs can be easily obtained without supervision.

Fontinelle (2021) said that black markets run without regulation, thus, discouraging proper police

protection. This is where gangs are forming where illegal flow or supply of drugs are going

causing countless deaths (National Drug Intelligence Center, 2005). This is all because of the

poor internal governance. Canada is considered to have the second biggest black markets

(Princeton University Library, 2022). This clearly showed that Canada is in need to address

black markets so that we can eliminate unsolicited drug supplies. Therefore, eliminating the

black market helps with minimizing the impact of the opioid crisis.

In conclusion, this opioid crisis has brought a toll on Canada. It has caused struggles and

deaths, and it even ruined lives. Drug overdoses happen anytime and anywhere. Black markets

are controlling the flow of drugs supplied without regulation. Facing such a crisis is not easy and

will take a lot of procedures and analysis to overcome. Eliminating this crisis is possible by

applying the best solutions presented. Although there are barriers to these solutions, such as

finance, they can be achievable with proper execution.

Reference

Ackermann et al. (2022). Barriers to addiction treatment: Why addicts don’t seek help.

American Addiction Centers.

https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/treatment-barriers

BC Gov News. (2023). B.C. receives exemption to decriminalize possession of some illegal

drugs for personal use. British Columbia.

https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2022MMHA0029-000850

Biya et al. (2022). Waiting time and its associated factors in patients presenting to outpatient

departments at Public Hospitals of Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia. BMC Health

Services Research. 22(107), A1-A2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-07502-8

Carrièr, G, Garner, R., & Sanmartin, C. (2022). Significant factors associated with problematic

use of opioid pain relief medications among the household population, Canada, 2018.

Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-003-x/2021012/article/00002-

eng.htm

DeRosa, K. (2023). Decriminalization alone not enough, experts warn. Vancouver Sun.

https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/bc-begins-drug-decriminalization

Farrel, T. (2022). Trickle-down effect: never-ending opioid crisis driving B.C. paramedics to

exhaustion. Campbell River Mirror. https://www.campbellrivermirror.com/news/trickle-

down-effect-never-ending-opioid-crisis-driving-b-c-paramedics-to-exhaustion/

Fontinelle, A. (2021). How black markets work.

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/economics/12/mechanics-black-

market.asp#:~:text=Violence%20is%20another%20problem%20inherent,of%20theft

%20or%20other%20crimes.
 7

Fraser Institute. (2022). Waiting your turn: Wait times for health care in Canada, 2022 Report.

https://www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/waiting-your-turn-wait-times-for-health-care-in-

canada-2022#:~:text=Research%20has%20repeatedly%20indicated%20that,%2C

%20suffering%2C%20and%20mental%20anguish.

Georgetown Behavioral Health Institute. (2018). The origin and causes of the opioid epidemic.

https://www.georgetownbehavioral.com/blog/origin-and-causes-of-opioid-

epidemic#:~:text=A%20Brief%20History%20of%20Opioid%20Use%20in%20the

%20US&text=The%20use%20of%20opioids%20to,the%20years%20following%20the

%20war

Government of Canada. (2022). Opioids.

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/opioids.html

Grochowski, S. (2021). 195 new treatment bed won’t quell B.C. toxic drug deaths. Vancouver

Sun. https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/195-new-treatment-beds-wont-quell-b-c-

toxic-drug-deaths-advocates

Grzybowki, S. (2004). The black market in prescription drugs. The Lancet. 364(special issue),

28-29 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(04)17630-7

Health Canada. (2023). Supervised consumption explained: types of sites and services.

Government of Canada.

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/substance-use/supervised-consumption-

sites/explained.html

Infrastructure Canada. (2022). Reaching home: Canada’s homelessness strategy directives.

Government of Canada.

https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/homelessness-sans-abri/directives-eng.html
 8

Kerr et al. (2022). A low-barrier, flexible safe supply program to prevent deaths from overdose.

CMAJ. 194(19), E674-E676. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.211515

Klobucista, C. (2022). The U.S. opioid epidemic. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/us-opioid-

epidemic#:~:text=Opioids%20have%20also%20taken%20a,treatment%20programs%2C

%20and%20legal%20expenses.

Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). How opioid addiction occurs. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-

conditions/prescription-drug-abuse/symptoms-causes/syc-20376813

National Drug Intelligence Center. (2005). Drugs and Gangs Fast Facts.

https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs11/13157/index.htm#:~:text=Department

%20of%20Justice.-,What%20is%20the%20relation%20between%20drugs%20and

%20gangs%3F,transport%20drugs%20within%20the%20country.

National Institute of Drug Abuse. (2021). Drugfacts: Prescription opioids drugfacts. National

Institute of Drug Abuse Advancing Addiction Science.

https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/prescription-opioids#:~:text=Prescription

%20opioids%20are%20used%20mostly,used%20for%20non%2Dmedical%20reasons

National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). VISION FOR THE FUTURE: A PUBLIC HEALTH

APPROACH. National Center for Biotechnology Information.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK424861/

Norman, T., & Reist, D. (2021). Homelessness, mental health and substance use: understanding

the connections. Here to Help. https://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/infosheet/homelessness-

mental-health-and-substance-use

Parent, T. (2018). Needle exchange programs: Overview (28675018). Canadian Points of View

Reference Centre.
 9

Princeton University Library. (2022). Black market exchange rates?

https://faq.library.princeton.edu/econ/faq/11292#:~:text=Black%20market%20exchange

%20rates%20are,to%20the%20actual%20market%20conditions.

Ropero-Miller, J, & Speaker, P (2019). The hidden costs of the opioid crisis and the implications

for financial management in the public sector. Forensic Science International: Synergy.

1(0), 227-238 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsisyn.2019.09.003

Rural Health Information Hub. (2020). Substance use and misuse in rural areas.

https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/topics/substance-use