Toxic And Poisoned Drugs Lead To 175 Deaths In British Columbia In September

Toxic and poisoned drugs led to the deaths of 175 people in British Columbia in September.

That equates to 5.8 deaths per day - but a 10 percent decrease from a year ago and two percent less than August.

“It is with heavy heart that B.C. continues to lose loved ones throughout our communities.” said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Mental Health, and Addictions, in a statement.

“In September, we lost 175 people to the poisoned drug supply circulating in our province. Even though this number is down slightly from the same time last year and the previous month, we can’t forget we're not just talking about statistics. We're talking about irreplaceable people. Every day, families, friends, and communities are navigating tides of deep grief and trauma in the wake of lost loved ones. No words can soften these losses.”

So far this year, 69% of those who have died from toxic drugs were aged 30-to-59, and 78% percent were male.

The report states that of the 1,836 people that have died year to date, Twenty-one have been in the Comox Valley, 31 were lost in the Cowichan Valley, 31 in Greater Campbell River, 86 in Greater Nanaimo, and six in Powell River up to August this year.

Meanwhile, a report issued by a panel of experts recommends the Province immediately pursue additional measures to expand access to safer drug supply by allowing access for people at risk without a prescription.

The panel was convened by B.C.’s chief coroner in December 2022, with a mandate to consider previous recommendations that could be quickly implemented on a scale that could reduce substance-related fatalities in B.C.

The panel affirmed the need for a comprehensive and timely approach to the crisis and recommended, in the short term, the fastest way to reduce deaths is to reduce dependence on the unregulated toxic drug supply.

This requires creating access to a quality controlled, regulated supply of drugs for people at risk of dying.

Current safer supply initiatives in B.C. exist within a medical model and primarily serve individuals with an opioid-use disorder who already have access to the health-care system, but there are limits on the types of medications that can be prescribed.

Unregulated drug toxicity is the leading cause of death in British Columbia for persons aged 10 to 59, accounting for more deaths than homicides, suicides, accidents, and natural disease combined.

The lives of at least 13,112 British Columbians have been lost to unregulated drugs since the public health emergency was first declared in April 2016.

To see the full release, visit Government of British Columbia.