A new report shows seven people died due to drug overdoses in Lethbridge in October 2023. (Photo: Moussa81 | Dreamstime.com)

By David Opinko

111 drug overdose deaths reported in Lethbridge in first 10 months of 2023

Jan 29, 2024 | 9:31 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Government of Alberta has released updated figures on drug overdose deaths in Lethbridge.

In October 2023, it said seven people in the city died due to overdoses on illegal substances, bringing the year-to-date total to 111.

2022 was previously the record for drug overdose deaths in the city. By the same point in that year, 59 people in Lethbridge had died, just over half of what we were seeing in 2023.

New figures from the Government of Alberta show a rising trend of drug overdose deaths in Lethbridge. (Photo: Government of Alberta)

In the third quarter of 2023 in Lethbridge, 52 per cent of these incidents occurred in public places, which is higher than in most other periods over the last five years. Conversely, 17 per cent of fatal overdoses were in a private residence, the lowest that number has been since tracking began in 2018.

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In terms of rising trends for overdose deaths, it was a similar picture across the province as 144 Albertans lost their lives in October 2023. In the first 10 months of last year, the total was 1,565.

If the current pace keeps up in November and December, Alberta could topple its 2021 record of 1,632 deaths.

The government reports that fentanyl was found in 79 per cent of overdose-related deaths, while methamphetamine was the second-most commonly detected substance at 63 per cent.

Provincially, men were far for likely to succumb to drug use than women, and the 35-39 age bracket was the most common.

The full Alberta substance use surveillance system report can be found on the Government of Alberta website.

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now

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