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Health Canada’s Drug Analysis Service (DAS) operates laboratories across Canada that analyze suspected illegal drugs seized by Canadian law enforcement agencies. These statistics are based on samples analyzed and may not be representative of substances seized in Canada, nor of what drugs are circulating on the market. The data below represent the number of times a substance was identified in submitted samples. A single sample may contain more than one substance. Categorization of substances is based on the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA).
Analyzed Drug Report - January to December (Q1-Q4) - 2020
Pan-Canadian Totals for Opioids, Benzodiazepines, Stimulants and Cannabis
18,000 Stimulants
16,000 Benzodiazepines Cannabis 14,000 Opioids
12,000 s t i
b 10,000 i h x e
f 8,000 o
r e b
m 6,000 u N 4,000
2,000
0 AB BC MB N.B N.L. N.S ON P.E.I QC SK Territories
Location
Pan-Canadian Totals for Opioids, Benzodiazepines, Stimulants and Cannabis
Number of exhibits
Location Opioids Benzodiazepines Stimulants Cannabis
AB 2,753 482 7,285 818
BC 6,481 730 7,295 1,201
MB 453 96 1,744 152
N.B 206 142 1,035 209
N.L. 55 14 192 113
N.S 99 64 670 289
ON 9,207 1,421 17,154 4,192
P.E.I 21 5 154 21
QC 1,015 1,288 15,453 7,691
SK 233 31 1,239 251
Territories 29 6 126 31
Canada 20,552 4,279 52,347 14,968 Summary for Canada
A total of 102,428 exhibits (including cannabis) were submitted for analysis during that period which represents a 10% decrease over the same period last year.
Most Frequently Identified Controlled Substances
Substance Number of exhibits Substance Number of exhibits Methamphetamine 24,850 Methamphetamine 24,850 Cocaine 23,235 Cocaine 23,235 Fentanyl 13,349 Fentanyl 13,349 MDMA 2,443 MDMA 2,443 Heroin 2,408 Heroin 2,408 Etizolam 1,734 Etizolam 1,734 Hydromorphone 1,427 Hydromorphone 1,427 Oxycodone 1,390 Oxycodone 1,390 GHB 1,059
GHB 1,059 Psilocin 1,047
Psilocin 1,047 1 2 3 … 17 Next Other controlled substances 9,948
Newly Identified Substances
Substance Number of exhibits Substance Number of exhibits Etodesnitazene 84 Etodesnitazene 84 N-(1,4-dimethylpentyl)-3,4-DMA 44 N-(1,4-dimethylpentyl)-3,4-DMA 44 4-Anilino-1-Boc-piperidine 27 4-Anilino-1-Boc-piperidine 27 N-pyrrolidino-3,4-DMA 13 N-pyrrolidino-3,4-DMA 13 para-Chlorofentanyl 11 para-Chlorofentanyl 11 SL-164 5 SL-164 5 Butyl-hexedrone 3 Adamantyl-CHMINACA 3 Adamantyl-CHMINACA 3 Butyl-hexedrone 3 Tiletamine 2
N-(1-methylpentyl)-3,4-DMA 2 N-(1-methylpentyl)-3,4-DMA 2
Tiletamine 2 1 2 Next Other substances 9
If a bar is grey it means that the substance's category is not one of the four that are highlighted on this page (Opioids, Benzodiazepines, Stimulants and Cannabis). Opioids
Number of Percentage of total Substance exhibits exhibits Substance Number of exhibits
Fentanyl 13,349 64.95% Fentanyl 13,349
Heroin 2,408 11.72% Heroin 2,408
Hydromorphone 1,427 6.94% Hydromorphone 1,427
Oxycodone 1,390 6.76% Oxycodone 1,390
Morphine 424 2.06% Morphine 424
Acetyl Fentanyl 404 1.97% Acetyl Fentanyl 404
Codeine 383 1.86% Codeine 383
Carfentanil 312 1.52% Carfentanil 312
O6- 139 0.68% O6-acetylmorphine 139 acetylmorphine Opium 111 Opium 111 0.54% Other opioids 205 1 2 3 Next
A total of 20,552 opioids were identified during that period where 69% were fentanyl or fentanyl analogues. From all samples containing heroin, 62% also contained fentanyl. Benzodiazepines
Number of Percentage of total Substance exhibits exhibits Substance Number of exhibits
Etizolam 1,734 40.52% Etizolam 1,734
Flualprazolam 740 17.29% Flualprazolam 740
Clonazepam 408 9.53% Clonazepam 408
Alprazolam 347 8.11% Alprazolam 347
Flubromazolam 305 7.13% Flubromazolam 305
Lorazepam 279 6.52% Lorazepam 279
Diazepam 160 3.74% Diazepam 160
Adinazolam 125 2.92% Adinazolam 125
Oxazepam 43 1.00% Oxazepam 43
Temazepam 40 0.93% Temazepam 40
1 2 3 Next Other benzodiazepines 98
A total of 4,279 benzodiazepines were submitted for analysis during that period which represents a 45% increase over the same period last year. Stimulants
Number of Percentage of total Substance exhibits exhibits Substance Number of exhibits
Methamphetamine 24,850 47.47% Methamphetamine 24,850
Cocaine 23,235 44.39% Cocaine 23,235
MDMA 2,443 4.67% MDMA 2,443
MDA 683 1.30% MDA 683
Methylphenidate 300 0.57% Methylphenidate 300
Amphetamine 255 0.49% Amphetamine 255
Lisdexamfetamine 127 0.24% Lisdexamfetamine 127
Ethyl-heptedrone 100 0.19% Ethyl-heptedrone 100
Éphédrine 57 0.11% Éphédrine 57
BMDP 53 0.10% BMDP 53
1 2 3 4 Next Other stimulants 244
A total of 52,347 stimulants were submitted for analysis during that period which represents a 14% decrease over the same period last year. Cannabis
Number of Percentage of Substance exhibits total exhibits Substance Number of exhibits
Cannabis (dried/fresh) 9,994 66.77%
Cannabis Concentrates 3,036 20.28% Cannabis (dried/fresh) 9,994
Containing Cannabis 1,501 10.03% (solid/non-solid)
Phytocannabinoid(s) 437 2.92% Cannabis concentrates 3,036
1
Containing Cannabis 1,501 (Solid/Non-Solid)
Phytocannabinoid(s) 437
Cannabis was identified in a total of 14,968 samples during this period. The determination of the THC level is not carried out in samples submitted in the form of edible products. Results of these samples are thus by default reported as solids / non solids containing cannabis. Note: Please refer to the Cannabis Regulations for category definitions (section Definitions - Act and Regulations). Trends for Canada
Samples Received Cocaine and Methamphetamine
140,000 30,000
120,000 25,000
100,000
s s 20,000 t t i i b b i i
h 80,000 h x x e e
f f 15,000 o o r 60,000 r e e b b m m
u u 10,000
N 40,000 N
5,000 20,000
0 0 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Year Year Total Cannabis Cocaine Methamphetamine
Fentanyl and Heroin Other Common Opioids
2,800 14,000 2,600 2,400 12,000 2,200 2,000 10,000 1,800 s s t t i i
b b 1,600 i i h 8,000 h x x 1,400 e e f f o o
1,200 r r
e 6,000 e b b 1,000 m m u u
N N 800 4,000 600
2,000 400 200 0 0 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Year Year Fentanyl Heroin Hydromorphone Oxycodone Morphine Codeine
Main Fentanyl Analogues
2,000
1,800
1,600
1,400 s
t 1,200 i b i h
x 1,000 e
f o
r 800 e b m
u 600 N
400
200
0 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Year Carfentanil Furanyl Fentanyl Acetyl Fentanyl Cyclopropyl Fentanyl MeOAc Fentanyl Other Analogues Samples Received
Number of exhibits
Substance 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Total 111,283 111,802 114,972 115,679 122,134 131,823 128,270 114,395 102,410
Cannabis 49,190 49,579 51,099 42,717 40,829 41,240 38,487 8,941 14,968
Cocaine and Methamphetamine
Number of exhibits
Substance 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Cocaine 9,175 10,493 11,729 16,229 18,611 23,152 25,314 28,646 24,850
Methamphetamine 22,883 22,690 23,956 24,403 22,727 25,403 26,944 28,277 23,231
Fentanyl and Heroin
Number of exhibits
Substance 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Fentanyl 217 446 809 1,711 3,351 6,438 8,181 10,722 13,348
Heroin 2,337 2,609 3,079 3,883 3,658 4,442 3,934 3,752 2,407
Other Common Opioids
Number of exhibits
Substance 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Hydromorphone 1,148 1,731 1,872 2,121 1,972 2,201 1,991 1,817 1,427
Oxycodone 2,477 2,020 1,857 1,969 1,690 1,983 1,842 1,782 1,390
Morphine 620 837 693 731 739 811 657 632 424
Codeine 481 528 540 670 696 757 568 563 383
Main Fentanyl Analogues
Number of exhibits
Substance 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Carfentanil 0 0 0 0 23 715 973 1,762 312
Furanyl Fentanyl 0 0 0 0 154 628 277 77 47
Acetyl Fentanyl 0 48 27 45 186 115 51 111 404
Cyclopropyl Fentanyl 0 0 0 0 0 0 328 106 35
MeOAc Fentanyl 0 0 0 0 0 0 227 104 31
Other Analogues 0 0 0 15 100 385 537 40 30 National Quantitatives Data
Powder Tablets Substance Number of quantitative exhibits % (weight/weight) Number of quantitative exhibits mg/unit
Acetyl Fentanyl 24 0.50 3 0.10
Carfentanil 22 4.70 1 0.20
Fentanyl 624 10.70 15 0.70
Furanyl Fentanyl 8 0.80 0 0.00
Cocaine (Crack) 72 60.40 0 0.00
Cocaine HCl 746 72.60 0 0.00
Heroine HCl 16 46.20 0 0.00
MDMA HCl 17 76.80 1 140.00
Meth HCl 118 86.10 5 14.90
Date modified: 2021-04-21