Synthetic drug potency increases, raising overdose risks for youth

As synthetic drugs grow stronger, experts warn that overdoses pose an even greater threat, particularly to young people.

Dr. Nicholas Chadi, a pediatrician at Sainte-Justine Hospital, is sounding the alarm about the rising dangers of these substances.

"Substances that are circulating are getting stronger and stronger," said Chadi.

According to Chadi, children as young as 11 are increasingly exposed to these synthetic drugs, including non-medical use of prescription medications, opioids, and various sedatives.

While Chadi notes that fewer young Quebecers are using drugs compared to two decades ago, those who do are encountering more potent substances.

"The fact that one pill can be so strong that it can lead to overdose is quite concerning," he said.

Chadi pointed to data from Western Canada, where drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death among youth aged 10 to 18.

"This isn't a trend that we've documented in Quebec or Ontario yet," Chadi explained, "but we are hearing anecdotal cases of very young people using pills for the first time and having an overdose."

Among these cases is 15-year-old Mathis Boivin, a Montreal teenager who died last December after ingesting a synthetic opioid.

Lionel Carmant, the Minister responsible for Social Services, called the rise in overdoses a "worrying trend" in Quebec.

"Nearly every year we see an increase in the number of overdoses and deaths," said Carmant at a recent press conference, stressing the need for enhanced prevention efforts.

"What we need to do is to better organize services so we can get people to stop using the drugs—we have to do everything together, safe consumption, but as well provide more services," he said.

Rabbi Benyamin Bresinger, director of Chabad Lifeline, a non-profit organization offering mental health and addiction counseling, sees the crisis firsthand.

"It used to be that you would have to hide your alcohol if you are a parent because kids would raid your bar," said Bresinger. "Now it’s the medicine cabinet that the kids are raiding."

He believes that feelings of isolation are a key factor driving the issue.

"They’re basically coming in feeling very alone, feeling out of control and scared to the law of fear going on," he explained.

While experts agree that additional support and funding are needed, Bresinger emphasized that community involvement is essential. "The community has to become that advocate," he said.