A new drug strategy report just released pegs the economic impact for the Sault area economy in dealing with the opioid crisis and other substance abuse issues at 80.7-million dollars—–Canada-wide is a 38.4 billion problem.
That figure comes from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction and takes into account factors such as health care, lost productivity, criminal justice and other direct costs.
The report entitled ‘Call to Action’ was released yesterday afternoon and was developed over the last year by Algoma Family Services and supported by the Sault and Area Drug Strategy Committee.
The information contained in the report is limited to the public record which indicates that in 2017, there were 22 deaths due to opioid overdoses in Algoma.
Charles Shamess is a coordinator with the Drug Strategy Committee and he talks about the impacts…

The report indicates that young people aged 15 to 24 are the most likely to experience mental illness or substance use disorders than any other group and Algoma Public Health Nurse Allison McFarlane says that’s an area of focus in the report…

Among the over 60 recommendations is a call for supervised injection sites or drug consumption rooms; encouraging needle disposal containers in local businesses and encouraging the District School Boards to consider alternatives to expulsion or suspension due to absenteeism.
There’s also a call to reduce the stigma by increasing public awareness of substance use disorders and concurrent disorders.