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Evidence suggests that use of illicit nonprescribed opioids has contributed to the sharp rise in opioid-related deaths in North America. In this population-based cohort study, researchers used prescription claims and postmortem toxicological databases to determine the relative contributions of prescribed and nonprescribed opioids to opioid-related deaths in Ontario.
From 2013 through 2016, nearly 3000 opioid-related deaths occurred. About one third of decedents had active opioid prescriptions at the time of their deaths, and about three quarters had opioid prescriptions within 3 years of their deaths. Older and female decedents were much more likely to have active opioid prescriptions than were younger and male decedents. Among decedents wit…