Canada has recorded almost 50,000 fentanyl deaths since 2016. | Drug news

The highly addictive opioid is responsible for a growing number of deaths in Canada, according to the government.

Fentanyl is increasingly the cause of opioid overdose deaths in Canada, according to new government data.

The National Health Agency reported Monday that nearly 50,000 people in the North American country have died from opioid overdose deaths since January 2016. until June 2024

During this period, fentanyl, highly addictive synthetic opioid sometimes prescribed for pain relief, accounted for 49,105 of the deaths.

Meanwhile, the share of fentanyl deaths has increased, according to the data, accounting for 79 percent of opioid deaths so far this year. This is a 39% increase from 2016.

The data was released just weeks before United States President-elect Donald Trump entered the White House.

Trump's impending presidency has waned caution of the opioid crisis in North America, with the president-elect threatening to imposed a 25 percent duty for Canada and Mexico if neighbors don't do more to stem the flow of drugs and undocumented migrants crossing into the US.

Last week, Canada's government announced a set of new border measures aimed at allaying Trump's concerns, even if the president-elect's claims don't quite match the data.

US Customs and Border Protection reported that less than 20 kg of fentanyl was seized at the US-Canada border in 2023.

Still, Canadian authorities have warned of an increase in domestic fentanyl production in the country, with law enforcement focusing more on the chemical precursors used to make the substance.

Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs said the seizure of Canadian-made fentanyl in the U.S., Australia and other countries shows that domestic production exceeds demand and that Canada has become a net exporter of fentanyl.

The overall opioid overdose rate is down from last year, according to Health Canada.

Health Canada said an average of 21 people have died each day from apparent opioid overdoses so far this year — an 11% drop from 2023.

However, the agency cautioned that the numbers are preliminary and subject to change.

“We must remain cautious in drawing conclusions about trends for 2024,” it said in a statement.

“Rates of harm associated with opioids and stimulants remain very high.”