30 opioid overdoses reported in 7 days prompts health alert - CBC

CommentaryGuest CommentaryFederico Varese16 October 2026clock8 Minute ReadOpioid threat: Italian Armed Forces and Carabinieri involved in the fight against organised crime and drug trafficking in San Pasquale. Image: NurPhoto SRL / Alamy StockItaly’s low fentanyl death toll reflects Europe’s distinct opioid market history, not mafia restraint – but synthetic opioids such as nitazenes are a growing threat. Italy has recorded very few deaths involving fentanyl. A September 2026 article in The Economist invokes The Godfather films to suggest that ‘the country’s mafias seem to have collaborated to keep fentanyl out of their territory,’ protecting their established markets from a substance that kills customers and attracts police attention. Such a hypothesis had already been put forward by Roberto Saviano in La Repubblica. While it is an intriguing theory, there is no evidence for it. To understand the absence of an American-style fentanyl crisis in Italy as well as in other parts of Europe, we need to look at the history of opioid markets, rather than assume that godfathers hailing from unnamed ‘mafias’ are out there to protect their fellow countrypeople.

CommentaryGuest CommentaryFederico Varese16 October 2026clock8 Minute ReadOpioid threat: Italian Armed Forces and Carabinieri involved in the fight against organised crime and drug trafficking in San Pasquale. Image: NurPhoto SRL / Alamy StockItaly’s low fentanyl death toll reflects Europe’s distinct opioid market history, not mafia restraint – but synthetic opioids such as nitazenes are a growing threat. Italy has recorded very few deaths involving fentanyl. A September 2026 article in The Economist invokes The Godfather films to suggest that ‘the country’s mafias seem to have collaborated to keep fentanyl out of their territory,’ protecting their established markets from a substance that kills customers and attracts police attention. Such a hypothesis had already been put forward by Roberto Saviano in La Repubblica. While it is an intriguing theory, there is no evidence for it. To understand the absence of an American-style fentanyl crisis in Italy as well as in other parts of Europe, we need to look at the history of opioid markets, rather than assume that godfathers hailing from unnamed ‘mafias’ are out there to protect their fellow countrypeople.

ChathamBy Paul PedroOctober 14, 2026 - 3:30pmChatham-Kent (CK) Public Health has issued an alert warning the community about an increase in drug overdoses and unexpected reactions to substances in Chatham‑Kent. The health unit reported CK EMS responded to 13 suspected opioid overdose calls between Friday and Tuesday, exceeding the community's usual rate of opioid-related emergency calls. "The alert comes after Windsor-Essex issued two public drug poisoning alerts over the past two weeks," CK Public Health said. "Chatham-Kent has historically seen increases in suspected drug poisonings in the weeks following similar alerts in neighbouring jurisdictions, highlighting the importance of increased community awareness and harm reduction measures at this time. "According to CK public health officials, local partners have noted increased use of naloxone, strong sedation, and concerns about a highly toxic drug supply. "This serves as an important reminder that the unregulated drug supply is unpredictable and always changing. Substances may not be what individuals expect, increasing the risk of harm or death," CK Public Health added.