A decline in the number of drug overdose deaths has been reported in Lethbridge. (Photo: MoleQL | Dreamstime.com)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge drug overdose deaths down 63 per cent

Jan 7, 2025 | 9:32 AM

One person in Lethbridge died due to drug consumption in September 2024, and while one is still one too many, it means those numbers continue to decline.

The Government of Alberta has updated its substance use surveillance system report.

In the first nine months of last year, overdoses claimed the lives of 38 people in the city.

That is a sizable drop from the year-to-date totals in the last two years. By this point in 2023, Lethbridge had reached a record 103 fatal overdoses (down 63.1 per cent), and in 2022, there had been 56 (down 38 per cent).

A new report shows the number of drug overdose deaths in Lethbridge has declined over the last year. (Source: Alberta Opioid Surveillance System. Compiled by LNN)

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When you count the entire South Health Zone, there have been 63 fatal drug overdoses between January and September 2024. That is, once again, a notable drop from the record set in 2023 of 181 (down 65.2 per cent).

Fentanyl was detected in 94 per cent of overdose deaths in the region while methamphetamine was found 71 per cent of the time.

A changing trend that was noted in the report is where fatal overdoses are occurring in Lethbridge. In the third quarter of 2024, most instances occurred in public places (57 per cent) or someone else’s home (29 per cent), while only 14 per cent were in the victim’s residence. Five years ago, three-quarters of cases were in the victim’s home and 25 per cent were in public.

Province-wide, the victims in just over 73 per cent of drug overdose deaths were men and the most common age group was 35-39.

The full report can be found on the Government of Alberta’s website.

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now

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