Saskatoon experienced a record number of overdose deaths in 2020: police

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SASKATOON — Saskatoon saw a record number of overdose and overdose-related deaths in 2020, Saskatoon Police Service says in its annual report.

The report does not provide exact figures. However, according to the Saskatchewan Coroners Service, Saskatoon saw 56 confirmed overdose deaths last year.

In total, 233 people in Saskatchewan died of overdoses, with 103 in Regina.

Fentanyl, an opioid narcotic typically prescribed for severe pain, was the behind most of the overdoses, the SPS report said.

"The drug is commonly mixed with illicit drugs such as cocaine and heroin, often without the purchasers knowledge. Fentanyl is known to be 50-100 times more potent than heroin, oxycodone and morphine," the report says.

The report says there are steps everyone can take to help reduce overdoses in Saskatoon, such as having a Naloxone kit to temporarily reverse an overdose.

The report says the SPS is part of multiple committees trying to reduce the number of overdoses and illicit drug use, and additional overdose-related initiatives are planned for 2021 at the local and provincial level.