1,700 British Columbians killed by unregulated toxic drugs in first 9 months of 2024
Posted October 24, 2024 9:31 am.
Last Updated October 24, 2024 9:39 am.
The BC Coroners Service says that in the first nine months of 2024, 1,700 people in the province were killed by the unregulated toxic drug supply.
In an update on Thursday, the BCCS says preliminary data shows that 187 people and 183 people were killed in August and September, respectively.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!“The data for the first nine months of 2024 represents an 8% decrease from the number of deaths during the first nine months of 2023 (1,896). In both August and September, approximately six people died each day from suspected unregulated drugs,” the Coroners Service stated.
Almost half of the deaths were in people between the ages of 30 and 49, the BCCS shared, while just 1.1 per cent were 18 years old or younger.
While the number of deaths has decreased since the same period of reporting last year, the Coroners Service says so far in 2024, 26 per cent of deaths related to toxic drugs were females.
“The rate of death among females is 21 per 100,000 people, an increase of 60 per cent from 202. (13 per 100,000),” the BCCS stated.
Fentanyl was found in 85 per cent of the unregulated toxic drug deaths, with 81 per cent finding some kind of stimulant.
Vancouver, Surrey, and Greater Victoria saw the highest number of deaths in September, the Coroners Service added.
