HALIFAX - A new study shows the decline in opioid-related deaths reported in Nova Scotia early in the COVID-19 pandemic was followed by a significant increase in deaths linked to illicit versions of the drug as the pandemic waned.

Researchers at Dalhousie University in Halifax took a close look at data related to fatal opioid overdoses and other opioid-related deaths between 2009 to 2023. Their study focused on the differences between pharmaceutical opioids, typically prescribed for pain relief, and their illicit variants including heroin and fentanyl.

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