Opioid Prescriptions Are Going Down in Canada, a New Study Finds. Here’s Why

Opioid prescriptions are going down in Canada, a new study finds. Here’s why

The study reflects "efforts that have been made to promote this more careful and appropriate prescribing across the country," author says.

Opioid prescribing for pain is declining in Canada

Efforts to promote safer opioid prescribing in Canada appear to be having an effect, as new research in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) shows a decrease in opioid dispensing between 2018 and 2022. In the early 2000s, use of prescription opioids to treat acute and chronic noncancer pain increased substantially in Canada, and with it came a rise in opioid-related harms. The availability of more opioid products, coupled with aggressive …