Canada: Alcohol Main Cause of Substance-Related Hospital Deaths
Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) shows 10 Canadians die in hospital every day from harm caused by substance use. 75% of those deaths are related to alcohol.
According to CIHI data
- 10 Canadians die in hospital every day from harm caused by substance use with 75% of those deaths relating to alcohol.
- Alcohol contributes to more than half of all substance-use hospitalizations, which are 13 times more common than for opioid poisonings.
- In 2017-2018, there were 249 alcohol-related hospitalizations in Canada every day per 100,000 people.
- Between 2017 and 2018, British Columbia had 361 alcohol-related hospitalizations every day per 100,000 people, the highest of all the provinces.
- The Northwest Territories saw the highest overall alcohol-related hospitalizations in the country, at 1,751 per 100,000 residents.
Adam Sherk, a researcher at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, said a study by the centre last year showed that compared with opioids, the economic costs of alcohol use are up to 10 times higher and related to criminal justice issues, lost productivity and health care.
Ethanol, which is pure alcohol, is classified by the World Health Organization as a group one carcinogen,” said Adam Sherk, researcher at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, as per CBC.
Ontario going backwards in alcohol control
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has recently taken steps to try and loosen the province’s strict control on alcohol sales. Adam Sherk comments this is the opposite of what should be done. Policies that drive down consumption and make alcohol less accessible are the way to go in order to prevent and reduce alcohol harm.
Dr. Keith Ahamad, an addictions specialist at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, said international scientific research has shown a clear relationship between alcohol pricing and accessibility and the harms associated with increased consumption as well as the harmful effects on others connected to the alcohol user.
Dr. Ahamad called Ontario’s policies of increasing accessibility to alcohol a “perfect storm” when combined with cuts to health-care and social programs.
Healthcare system needs to take more reponsibility
As Dr. Ahamed says, when people seek treatment for alcohol use disorders from hospital emergency rooms, the underlying addiction is often not addressed.
Patients are told to refer to a treatment programme, which they don’t always follow through. Even if they do they have to wait weeks to enter a facility.
The BC Centre on Substance Use, where Dr. Ahamad is a researcher, has submitted treatment guidelines to the provincial Mental Health and Addictions Ministry aimed at restructuring the health-care system.
In B.C. about 30-40% who are fatally overdosing are testing positive for alcohol use.
It’s alcohol that is their drug of choice and they’re [consuming] alcohol daily and using opioids intermittently and we’re doing nothing for their alcohol-use disorder,” said Dr. Keith Ahamed, researcher at the BC Centre on Substance Use, as per, CBC.
In order to curb the alcohol harm, Canada urgently needs to take strong policy actions to restrict availability, reduce affordability and ban alcohol promotions, advertising and sponsorship – such as recommended through the alcohol policy best buys.
https://movendi.ngo/the-issues/the-problem/aiap/alcohol-policy-best-buys/