Local death rate from crystal meth triple Ontario average
London and Middlesex County have become the epicentre of Ontario’s crystal methamphetamine crisis.
The Middlesex London Health Unit (MLHU) has created a new data dashboard that charts the growing crystal meth crisis— and the deadly trend is chilling.
From 2018 to 2020, methamphetamine death rates in London and Middlesex County more than tripled, and are now 2.8 times higher than the provincial average.
At Coffee Culture on Dundas Place, owner Shane Kenneth has witnessed the street drug’s rapid emergence and devastating effects.
“It really negatively impacts you. And you try so hard not to be judgemental,” admits Kenneth.
On Thanksgiving Monday, he closed the coffee shop earlier than planned after four separate incidents involving people displaying erratic behaviours that he attributes to meth’s effects as a stimulant.
“It’s very hard to run a business while at the same time, be a mental health worker and protect your staff,” he adds.
The intent of the MLHU’s data dashboard is to identify trends and help prioritize steps needed to alleviate the crystal meth crisis.
It displays five key indicators:
- harm reduction service utilization
- healthcare utilization
- treatment service utilization
- fatalities
- crimination
“When we can have that data to measure it, we can go to government bodies and say, ‘This is what we’re seeing in our community. This is a crisis, we need help right away,’ ” explains Megan Van Boheemen, Acting Director of Harm Reduction at Regional HIV/AIDS Connection.
As for why London has seen a spike, Van Boheemen suspects one answer may be a link to the homelessness crisis.
When falling asleep on the streets feels dangerous, stimulants like crystal meth will keep a person awake.
Geography may also play a role.
“Our location on the 401 between Toronto and Detroit, that’s impactful,” explains Van Boheemen. “We know there’s a lot of human trafficking in London. Our location is prime. We are also surrounded by a lot of rural areas where there isn’t a lot of support.”
“Opioid data is a bit easier to collect, because the outcomes are tragically often easier to count. Crystal Meth, less so. As a result, I think we are one of the first regions to pull this kind of data together in a comprehensive way. Which means we’re going to be telling our story first," said Dr. Alex Summers, Associate Medical Officer of Health, MLHU at the MLHU’s Board of Health on Thursday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Party's over: Coyotes play final game as Arizona franchise before move to Salt Lake City
Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the two years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah.