Toronto continues to be in the midst of a drug toxicity epidemic. The unregulated drug supply is unpredictable, increasingly toxic, and currently dominated by fentanyl. Drugs that are expected to be fentanyl often contain multiple high-potency opioids, veterinary tranquilizers, benzodiazepines and/or other drugs including new high-potency nitazene opioids.
Toronto Public Health (TPH) is taking action to prevent overdose deaths. TPH runs direct overdose prevention and response clinical services including mobile outreach services, substance use treatment options and naloxone training and distribution. We issue drug alerts in the community in an effort to monitor and guide overdose response activities.
TPH also coordinates and engages partners in developing City-wide strategies and plans related to overdose prevention and response, as well as substance use and mental health.
TPH also worked with partners to develop Our Health, Our City: A Mental Health, Substance Use, Harm Reduction and Treatment Strategy for Toronto which is a comprehensive strategy to reduce substance use related harms and promote mental health and well-being. TPH continuously provides updates to the Board of Health on actions to address the drug toxicity epidemic.