Confronting the disparity in non-medical prescription opioid use among rural and urban youth: a call for broader recognition in the era of clandestine Fentanyl – Commentary –

Abstract

Abstract: Non-medical prescription opioid use (NMPOU) among Canada’s rural youth is a public health problem largely overshadowed by the opioid crisis in metropolitan centres. In this commentary, the author explores the unique socioeconomic factors that underpin rural NMPOU, drawing attention to its potential to drive youth morbidity and mortality from increasingly prevalent clandestine fentanyl. The author argues for mitigating strategies to curb NMPOU, informed by greater awareness of the unique vulnerabilities of rural youth.