More than 1,158 British Columbians have lost their lives to unregulated drug toxicity throughout the first half of 2024.
Photos of used drug paraphernalia behind the old Alaska Highway News building.
The BC Coroners Service (BCCS) released their drug toxicity death update for June, on July 30. According to preliminary data from the BCCS more than 1,100 British Columbians lost their lives in 2024 so far.
There were 181 and 185 suspected unregulated drug deaths in May and June 2024, which is lower than the same mark from the previous three years, but still means there are approximately six people dying a day due to unregulated toxic drugs.
“People are continuing to lose their loved ones in communities across B.C. at a tragic rate,” said John McNamee, acting chief coroner. “Even as the figures reflect a 9% decrease in the number of deaths reported to the coroners service during the first six months of this year from 2023, the number of lives lost is still significant.”
Almost half of the reported deaths throughout the months of May and June were individuals between the ages of 30 – 49. According to BCCS more than 70% of the deaths in 2024 so far were males, while the rate of deaths among females continues to increase, currently accounting for 28% of the deaths in 2024.
The highest rates of drug toxicity deaths (per 100,000 people) are found in the Northern Interior (106.6), North Vancouver Island (78.8), Vancouver (66.3), and Central Vancouver Island (62.8). So far in 2024, Vancouver has seen over 20% of these deaths, with Surrey at 10% and Greater Victoria at 7%.
The unregulated drug-toxicity deaths seem to be driven by fentanyl, which was detected in 82% of expedited toxicological tests conducted so far this year.
Unregulated drug toxicity is the top cause of death in British Columbia for people aged 10 to 59, surpassing deaths from homicides, suicides, accidents, and natural diseases combined. Since the public health emergency was declared in April 2016, over 14,948 people have died from unregulated toxic drugs.
According to BCCS, some of the reported data is based on preliminary information and may be updated as investigations are completed.
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