How is the health care system affected by drug use and abuse?
In 1998, almost 900 deaths in Canada were attributed to illicit drug use or abuse, the majority of which were related to suicide (55%), followed by illicit drug poisoning (42%). Less than 3% of all deaths attributed to poisoning involved drug psychosis and drug dependence/abuse. Between 1996 and 1998, there has been an 18% increase in the total number of drug-related deaths in Canada (from 752 to 886). While drug poisoning deaths increased 74% between those years, drug-related suicides decreased only 7%. Deaths related to drug dependence/abuse increased from 11 deaths in 1996 to 24 deaths in 1998 (See Appendix B, Table 3 for more information). Source: Canadian Institute for Health Information, Hospital Morbidity Database (1996/97, 1997/98 and 1998/1999) and Statistics Canada. Causes of Death 1996, 1997 and 1998.
