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Vernon Mayor Akbal Mund has expressed concern over the number of overdose deaths from illicit drugs in the Vernon area last year.
Figures from the BC Coroners Service show there were 13 overdose deaths in Vernon between Jan.-Dec. 2016, higher than any other year between 2007-2016. Only in 2013, did the figure also go into double digits with 11 overdose deaths in the area.
Mund pointed out the number may include other communities using Vernon Jubilee Hospital but he is still concerned by them.
“I feel for the families (of the victims),” said Mund, adding that he fears the crisis which is affecting the whole province could get worse before it gets better.
“When are we going to hear about youths or adults attending a party and using a drug and passing out and finding that they've overdosed. That's the scary part about it.”
Throughout the province there were 914 illicit drug overdose deaths last year, a 79 per cent increase over the number of death occurring in 2015.
The coroner stressed the deaths were not just from those who use opioid drugs such as heroin but that cocaine and methamphetamines were also being found in a high percentage of fentanyl detected deaths in 2016.
The coroner's service has not said how many of the deaths were caused by fentanyl.
