Over 210 British Columbians killed by toxic drugs in January
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Posted March 7, 2023 12:27 pm.
Last Updated March 7, 2023 12:32 pm.
A preliminary report released by the BC Coroners Service shows that 211 people died from toxic drugs in the province in January of this year.
The report, released Tuesday, says this is the eighth time in the past 16 months that more than 200 people have died in a calendar month from the poisoned, unregulated drug supply.
“Once again, our agency is reporting on preventable losses of life in heart-breaking numbers,” said Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner. “We are nearing the seventh anniversary of the declaration of the public-health emergency into substance-related harms, and the drug-poisoning crisis continues to cost lives and communities at an unprecedented rate. Toxic drugs pose a constant and ever-present danger to anyone who uses drugs. Anyone using any substance purchased on the unregulated illicit drug market is at risk of serious harm or death.”
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The coroners service says that while the majority of deaths continue to be seen in major urban areas of Vancouver, Surrey, and Greater Victoria, the highest rates of toxic drug-related deaths could also be seen in north and central Vancouver Island, the northern Interior, and northwest B.C.
The number of deaths recorded in January equate to approximately 6.8 deaths per day from drug toxicity, with the coroners service adding that in line with previous reporting, approximately 70 per cent of deaths were in people aged 30 to 59, with nearly 80 per cent of them being men.
“Recent announcements made by the province that are focused on increasing treatment and recovery options where and when people need them are tremendously encouraging. Members of coroners’ inquests and death review panels have consistently recommended a continuum of care that includes evidence-based treatment options, access to safer supply, and other essential harm-reduction tools to end this crisis, including drug-checking, overdose prevention sites, and the need to eliminate stigma and criminalization,” Lapointe wrote in a statement.
“All of these key responses are necessary to address the tremendous and tragic loss of life our province continues to experience. It is estimated that there are more than 80,000 people in our province with opioid use disorder. Thousands of others regularly use stimulants such as cocaine. All of these members of our communities are currently at risk of sudden death. As noted by the all-party Select Standing Committee on Health in its November 2022 report: ‘…individuals and communities across the province need to come together with open minds and open hearts to turn the tide on this public health emergency.'”
The service says at least 11,195 people have been killed by toxic drugs since the B.C. public-health emergency was first declared in April 2016.
The service is reporting that two of those deaths happened at an overdose prevention site — one in 2022 and one in 2023. However, it notes that there is no evidence to suggest that prescribed safe supply is contributing to illicit drug deaths.