A new study finds a steep rise in opioid-related deaths in Ontario among teens and young adults.
Researchers at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto say one out of six deaths among Ontarians aged 25 to 34 was related to opioids in 2015.
Meanwhile, they found one of nine deaths among those aged 15 to 24 was related to opioids. That rate nearly doubled since 2010, when it was one in 15 deaths.
Lead author and St. Michael's scientist Tara Gomes says young people need more information about the dangers of illicit drug use and how they can get help if needed.
She says it's time "to get past the stigma of drug use being among addicts" and be more open to providing access to the overdose-reversing drug naloxone in places young people may need it. That includes high schools, universities and music festivals.
According to the study, the overall rate of opioid-related deaths nearly tripled in Ontario from 2000 to 2015.
The study was published Thursday in the Journal of Addiction Medicine and also involved researchers from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences.
