Canada saw massive drop in overdose-related deaths year-over-year: Health Canada data

The British Columbia coroner says 152 people died of toxic drug overdoses in January, marking four consecutive months that the toll was under 160. People take part in a rally to mark the public health emergency of the declaration due to the significant increase in opioid-related overdoses across the province in Victoria on April 14, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

There have been less overdoses leading to death or hospitalization year-over-year in Canada, according to a new report from Health Canada.

Opioids were seemingly connected to more than 6,100 deaths, and stimulants to over 3,300 between July 2024 and June 2025, the report showed. That’s a 22 per cent reduction in opioid-related deaths and a 38 per cent drop for stimulants, compared to the previous 12 months.

Opioid deaths are also at their lowest observed level since 2020, Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said Thursday in a press release.

“It is important to highlight that experiences vary widely between provinces and territories, municipalities and smaller communities, and even neighbourhood to neighbourhood, with some areas continuing to experience increases in harms and deaths,” the agency said, before advising that Indigenous peoples are “disproportionately” impacted by deadly drugs.

A changing drug supply is affecting the crisis, as PHAC reported “less presence of fentanyl and less high-risk combinations, such as opioids mixed with benzodiazepines.”

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Along with a reduction in fentanyl, naloxone helped lower drug-linked deaths. Naloxone is a “fast-acting medication used to temporarily reverse the effects of opioid overdoses,” according to Health Canada.

According to the PHAC, less young people are using opioids, leading to a declining death rate in young adults, “particularly males aged 20-29.” The agency suggested that there’s been a “noticeable change in attitudes among youth toward opioids,” but they say that’s reflective of “the widespread loss of lives.”

Stimulants

Stimulant-related hospitalizations dropped 17 per cent from 2023-24, with just over 2,000 recorded from July 2024 to June 2025, resulting in about six hospitalizations a day. Emergency departments saw nearly 5,000 stimulant-related visits over that period, eight per cent less than the year before, but resulting in roughly 14 visits a day.

Drugs that are designed to increase energy and feelings of excitement are referred to as stimulants, or sometimes as “uppers.” These include cocaine and methamphetamine.

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Opioids are sometimes called “downers,” they are generally painkillers that give users a feeling of euphoria. Codeine, fentanyl, oxycodone, morphine, and heroin are all opioids.

Data from between January and June of this year shows that 29 per cent of stimulant-related emergency department visits included opioid use, while eight per cent of opioid poisoning victims at emergency rooms had also used stimulants.

Regarding hospitalizations, 14 per cent of opioid poisoning used a stimulant, and 36 per cent of stimulant poisoning used and opioid.