B.C. toxic drug deaths down 9% so far in 2024

British Columbia’s Coroners Service says nan number of group who person died this twelvemonth from toxic supplier poisoning is down from 2023, but an mean of six group are still dying each time from utilizing illicit drugs.

The work says it recorded 181 suspected supplier poisoning deaths successful May and 185 successful June, bringing nan full number of fatalities successful nan first half of this twelvemonth to 1,158.

Acting Chief Coroner John McNamee says nan figures bespeak a 9 per cent alteration successful nan number of deaths reported during nan first six months of past year.

In a connection responding to nan latest decease toll, B.C.’s curate of intelligence wellness and addictions says “the complaint of decease is astatine its lowest constituent successful 4 years.”

Still, Jennifer Whiteside says everyone who has died is irreplaceable to their loved ones and nan losses reenforce nan request to protect group from nan risks of toxic drugs.

Nearly 15,000 group person died from toxic illicit narcotics since B.C. officials declared nan overdose situation a nationalist wellness emergency successful April 2016.

The coroners’ work says fentanyl continues to thrust deaths from illicit drugs, pinch nan potent opioid detected successful 82 per cent of toxicological tests conducted this year.

Poisoning from unregulated narcotics are nan starring origin of decease successful B.C. among group aged 10 to 59.

Nearly half of those who died successful May and June were group betwixt nan ages of 30 and 49. While men relationship for 72 per cent of deaths truthful acold this year, nan coroners’ work says nan complaint of decease among women continues to rise.

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Whiteside says nan B.C. authorities is “constantly adding much services and removing barriers for group to entree nan attraction they need.”

The minister’s connection says B.C. has added much than 650 caller beds for group experiencing substance-use challenges since 2017. There were 1,000 much group accessing curen and betterment beds past twelvemonth than successful 2022.

“For adults pinch analyzable needs, location is now much high-quality, team-based attraction disposable done 500 complex-care lodging spaces,” Whiteside says.

“We are besides scaling up services for group surviving pinch a encephalon wounded related to an overdose, done caller programs, specified arsenic nan Cognitive Assessment and Rehabilitation for Substance Use program,” nan connection says.

This study by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2024.