One quarter have experience with opioid dependency
In the first national wave of the Campaign Research Poll, a randomly sampled, representative telephone survey conducted among 1,457 Canadian voters, one quarter of Canadians have had a problem with opioid dependency or know someone who has had a problem (25%). Of those, about 1 in 7 have had a family member become dependent (14%), about a tenth know someone who has been dependent (9%), and 1 in 33 has personally been opioid dependent (3%). Three quarters (75%) don’t know anyone who has had a dependency (28%).
Overall, experience with opioid dependency is characteristic of males (28%) rather than females (23%); those under 35 (30%); in Atlantic Canada (33%); among the least wealthy (less than $20K - 34%) and those in wealthier groups ($80K to $100K - 33%); and among New Democrats (36%) and Green Party voters (32%). Incidence of personally being dependent is higher among males (4%) than females (2%); among those under 35 (4%); in Quebec (4%); among the least wealthy (less than $20K - 8%); and among Green Party voters (9%).
MORE THAN ONE THIRD SEE OPIOID DEPENDENCY AS A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN THEIR
COMMUNITY
In total, more than a third of Canadians think opioid dependency is a serious problem in their
community (37%), and almost a fifth see it as “very serious” (18%). Characterizing opioids as a
very serious problem is common to females (21%) rather than males (16%); the youngest
(under 35 – 26%); in BC especially (37%) as well as Alberta (25%); among the wealthy
($80K to $100K – 28%); and among New Democrats (25%).
DESPITE SEVERITY OF OPIOID PROBLEM, ALCOHOL SEEN TO BE MOST DAMAGING DRUG
DEPEPNDENCY
More than one quarter of Canadians see alcoholism as the most severe addiction issue facing
Canada (27%). This is especially the case among males (30%) rather than females (25%); the
youngest (under 35 - 31%); in the Prairies (40%); in mid-income groups ($60K to $80K - 41%);
and among Green Party voters (33%). The next most serious addiction issue is seen to be illegal drugs like cocaine and heroin (21%). This is especially the case among the less wealthy ($20K to$40K - 24%) and among Liberal voters (24%). After alcohol and illegal drugs, addiction to tobacco is seen to be the most serious issue (17%), especially among the youngest (under 35 -21%), in Quebec (28%); the least wealthy (under $20K - 22%); and Bloc voters (28%). Opioid dependency is the last of the four addiction issues listed to be viewed as the most severe (14%),and its profile is highest among Gen X (45 to 54 - 17%); in Alberta (21%); and among the wealthiest ($100K to $250K - 21%).
“It is clear that Fentanyl, Oxycodone and other opioids have become a very significantproblem across Canada, and as many as a fifth consider it to be very serious. This is seen asbeing a particularly critical issue in BC, where more than a third see it as being a very seriousproblem in their community. When we look at the numbers, it may be that as many as amillion Canadians have had a problem with opioid dependency,” said Eli Yufest, CEO of Campaign Research Inc.
METHODOLOGY
This poll was conducted between February 3 and February 6, 2017, among a randomly selected sample of 1,457 Canadian voters. The poll was conducted by Interactive Voice Response (IVR)and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3%, 19 times out of 20.
