An Angus Reid survey says one-in-eight Canadians have family or close friends that have become dependent on opioids in the last five years. Photo courtesy CBC.
With growing attention to opioid addiction and deaths, a new survey says the issue hits close to home for many Canadians.
An Angus Reid survey released Thursday says one-in-eight adults, or nearly 3.5 million Canadians, have a family member or close friend that has become dependent on opioids in the last five years.
Nearly 20 per cent of those surveyed said they have been prescribed opioids in the last five years and 30 per cent are close to someone else who has.
Angus Reid survey shows 12 per cent of Canadians knows someone who has become dependent on opioids in the last five years. 19 per cent have been personally prescribed opiates over that time.
Other key findings show 49 per cent of B.C. residents are paying close attention to this issue, compared to 36 per cent or less everywhere else.
Angus Reid survey shows B.C. residents most likely to describe opioid use as a crisis.
Opioid related deaths in B.C. led the country in 2016 and climbed over 1,000 deaths in the first eight months of 2017.
Two-thirds of Canadians are in favour of supervised-injection sites while 85 per cent say they support compulsory treatment programs.
Andy Neal
