Opiates involved in nearly half of P.E.I. drug overdose deaths
CBC investigation reveals overdose deaths from 2005 to 2014
A CBC News investigation shows there have been 32 deaths from drug overdoses on P.E.I. in recent years.
Close to half of those deaths — 15 — involved at least one opiate such as hydromorphone, morphine, methadone, oxycodone and fentanyl. In 14 of the 32 deaths, a combination of drugs was involved.
The number of drug overdoses has fluctuated over the 10-year time period covered in P.E.I., ranging from one death in both 2005 and 2013 to six deaths in 2014.
The figures referenced do not include fatal overdoses involving alcohol alone.
More than half drug overdoses were accidental
Of the 32 deaths, 17 were accidental with the remainder classified by the province as undetermined.
The deaths took place been 2005 and 2014. More recent numbers were not available from the P.E.I. Department of Justice and Public Safety.
Until now, it's been difficult to know how many Maritimers are dying from drugs and what they're taking.
CBC News has spent several months trying to build a picture of overdose deaths in the region.
But none of the Maritime provinces publicize data on drug overdoses.
Fentanyl involved in two P.E.I. deaths
The data shows fentanyl was involved in at least two of the drug-involved deaths on P.E.I. and a total of 32 across the Maritimes between 2008 and 2014.
Fentanyl is a powerful painkiller often worn as a patch. Drug dealers also add it to other narcotics sold on the street, such as fake oxycontin pills.
In British Columbia, officials are dealing with a public health emergency due to the number of overdoses of the powerful drug fentanyl.
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With files from Karissa Donkin