B.C. leading the way in opioid awareness: Stats Can

British Columbians have the highest awareness in the country of opioids and the negative issues surrounding the pain-killing drugs,according to a new survey by Statistics Canada.

• Read: Results of the Survey on Opioid Awareness

In B.C., 86 per cent of respondents report being either "very" or "somewhat" aware of the opioid issue, compared to thenational average of 77 per cent. Quebec registeredthe lowest level of awareness at 67 per cent.

British Columbianswere also the most likely to report being "very awarethat drugs obtained illegally have the potential to contain fentanyl," according to the survey.

The fentanylcrisis has hit B.C. the hardest with 1,208 lives lost to illicit drug overdosebetweenJanuary and October of 2017, according to the B.C. Coroners Service. Fentanyl was detected in 83 per cent of those deaths.

Naloxone knowledge

Most Canadians over age 18 said they would call911if witnessing a suspected overdose. Seven per centsaid they would know how to obtain and administernaloxone, the opioidreversing drug.

Nationally, 29 per cent of respondentssay they used some form of opioidin the past five years, with one quarter of that group reporting left-over prescribed opioids stored at home.

Opioids are legitimately prescribed to relieve pain but are highly addictive and have increasingly been detected in theillegal drug supply in Canada.

Fentanyl, OxyContin, morphine and codeine are all examples of common opioids.

According to the survey, the rate ofhospitalizationdue toopioidpoisoning has increased by more than 50 per centin Canada over the last decade.

Stats Canada says the survey "is intended to provide a richer understanding of Canadians' knowledge of the opioid issue, the risks associated and their willingness and ability to intervene in the event of an apparent opioid overdose."