Close X
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
ADVT 
National

Cocaine use continues to show signs of increase across Canada

Darpan News Desk IANS, 02 Nov, 2023 11:54 AM
  • Cocaine use continues to show signs of increase across Canada

Ottawa, Nov 2 (IANS) Statistics Canada said that cocaine use is continuing to show signs of increase in the country based on new data of wastewater monitoring.

In most Canadian municipalities, cocaine levels increased from January to May 2022 compared with the same period in 2020, the national statistical institute said.

Provisional results from 2023 also suggest the trend of increasing levels of cocaine use continues in most municipalities, Xinhua news agency quoted the institute as saying.

These observations are based on new data released Wednesday from the Canadian Wastewater Survey (CWS).

The CWS has regularly been collecting wastewater samples from several municipalities across the country since 2019 to test for various drugs.

Wastewater-based estimates of drug use have traditionally been used to assess longer-term trends.

However, in the context of an ongoing drug crisis in some parts of Canada, wastewater data can provide nearly real-time information which contributes to a better understanding of current drug use and emerging trends, Statistics Canada said.

The UN 2023 Global Report on Cocaine indicates that half a million Canadians reported using cocaine in 2022 and that cocaine is highly available in Canada.

Moreover, Canada had a lower retail price for cocaine than many other countries, according to the Statistics Canada.

Canadian cities also displayed very large levels of methamphetamine, or crystal meth, compared with cities in other countries worldwide.

Among countries with available wastewater data that use comparable methodology, cities in the US, Czech Republic, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand had the highest levels of methamphetamine use in 2022, Statistics Canada said.

MORE National ARTICLES

Hit and run in North Vancouver

Hit and run in North Vancouver
Mounties in North Vancouver say they are looking for witnesses and footage as they investigate a hit-and-run that left a pedestrian with serious injuries on Wednesday night. North Vancouver R-C-M-P say they were called to the scene after passersby found a North Vancouver man in his late 40s lying injured on the road. 

Hit and run in North Vancouver

High school student arrested, knife found

High school student arrested, knife found
Police in New Westminster say a student at a city high school was arrested Wednesday after being found in possession of a knife. Police say an officer was at New Westminster Secondary on Wednesday morning for an unrelated reason, and told there was a student with a knife who was causing a disturbance. 

High school student arrested, knife found

RCMP tells owners to turn in guns after banned fully automatic model sold in Canada

RCMP tells owners to turn in guns after banned fully automatic model sold in Canada
The RCMP has told owners to turn in what the force is calling fully automatic military surplus firearms after hundreds were misidentified and allowed into Canada for commercial sale. The Mounties say the registrar of firearms immediately froze records relating to the 245 prohibited guns upon discovery of the issue to prevent further sale or transfer of the firearms.  

RCMP tells owners to turn in guns after banned fully automatic model sold in Canada

Police involved shooting in West Kelowna

Police involved shooting in West Kelowna
The Independent Investigations Office is investigating a police-involved shooting in West Kelowna this afternoon where one man was injured.  The R-C-M-P says police were responding to reports of gunshots and a man with a weapon in a vehicle.

Police involved shooting in West Kelowna

Pedestrian struck and killed in Vancouver

Pedestrian struck and killed in Vancouver
Police are investigating after a pedestrian was struck and killed by a car in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside today. Police say two cars collided at an intersection just before 11 this morning, and one of the cars jumped the curb and he the person on the sidewalk.  

Pedestrian struck and killed in Vancouver

Canada taking 'necessary time' to probe hospital blast in Gaza, says Trudeau

Canada taking 'necessary time' to probe hospital blast in Gaza, says Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that Canada is working with allies to determine "exactly what happened" in the blast at a hospital in Gaza City earlier this week that has become a flashpoint in the Israel-Hamas war.  Trudeau said at a news conference in Ottawa that Canada is taking the "necessary time" to probe a blast that the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry says left hundreds dead. 

Canada taking 'necessary time' to probe hospital blast in Gaza, says Trudeau