Breadcrumb Trail Links
News Local News
Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe says illicit fentanyl continues to drive the health crisis.
Article content
The B.C. coroner says 184 B.C. residents died in June from the unregulated toxic drug supply, as the ongoing health crisis continues to plague the province.
Advertisement 2
Article content
Data released by the B.C. Coroners Service Wednesday notes that more than 1,200 people have died from tainted drugs in the first six months of this year.
Article content
“British Columbia is continuing to lose community members at record rates as a result of the toxicity of the unregulated drug market,” said Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner, in a statement Wednesday
“Illicit fentanyl continues to drive the crisis, which is causing deaths in large and small municipalities, towns and cities across the province. This health emergency is not confined to one neighbourhood or one demographic. Anyone accessing an illicit substance is at risk of serious harm or death.”
Fentanyl and/or a fentanyl analogue was present in more than 90 per cent of expedited toxicological testing in June, according to the coroner, and almost all unregulated drug deaths are the result of mixed drug toxicity.
Advertisement 3
Article content
More than 80 per cent of reported deaths in 2023 have occurred indoors, with nearly half taking place in a private residence, according to the coroner.
Smoking continues to be the predominant mode of consumption.
More than 12,500 British Columbians have died since the public health emergency was declared in 2016.
“As coroners, we speak every day to families who are grieving the loss of a loved one,” said Lapointe.
“Our agency continues to recommend rapid expansion of a safer drug supply throughout the province to reduce the significant harms associated with the toxic illicit drug market and prevent future deaths.”
ticrawford@postmedia.com
Vancouver being urged to change indoor smoking ban at clinic for illicit drug users
B.C. poised for drug decriminalization experiment, but will it help stem deadly tide?
Support our journalism: Our in-depth journalism is possible thanks to the support of our subscribers. For just $3.50 per week, you can get unlimited, ad-lite access to The Vancouver Sun, The Province, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Vancouver Sun | The Province.
Comments
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.
Join the Conversation