Canada

This is absolutely excellent journalism 👏. The kind of journalism that many Canadian newsroom struggle to do because they lack resources. Please support it if you can.

Summary

1. North American doctors prescribe a huge amount of opioid painkiller pills.

2. Canada is a country deeply influenced by the United States. Health Canada followed the US FDA when most European countries were extremely cautious. Canadian Medical Schools allowed US drug companies to spread questionable content.

3. The U.S. is one of the only countries in the world that allow prescription drugs to be advertised on TV. The Sackler family spent $200-million annually marketing Oxycontin opioids. Many Canadians regularly watch american TV channels and painkiller ads are hard to miss.

4. The crisis spilled from inside doctor’s offices to city streets as drug dealers capitalized on a new wave of clients. Then came the second trigger: the shift from heroin to fentanyl in the mid-2010s.

5. Europe has a warning system that tracks the emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS). They are identified through laboratory testing of seizures by law enforcement. Member states are alerted as soon as possible, allowing them to respond to the threat.

6. It's easier to get rehab treatment in Europe. Most rehab facilities in Canada are privately owned.