Mr. Speaker, I invite colleagues to join me in welcoming the Canadian Chiropractic Association, whose members have come to Parliament today to meet with decision makers and raise awareness of the role that back pain and other musculoskeletal conditions play in Canada's opioid crisis.
Currently, Canada is the second highest consumer of prescription opioids. Every year, over 2,000 Canadians die from the overuse of opioids, which accounts for 50% of all annual drug-related deaths.
Canada's new draft opioid prescribing guidelines call for all health providers to prioritize non-pharmacological alternatives before making the decision to prescribe. With back pain as a key driver of opioid prescribing and excellent evidence supporting the use of clinical alternatives as first line therapy, Canada's chiropractors are here to talk about a better approach to pain management for Canadians.
Canadian chiropractors, as spine, muscle and nervous system experts, play an important role in helping relieve the burden of back pain and MSK conditions.