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Fatal overdose rate falls in B.C. but over six people still dying daily

More than six dying daily

The rate of death from toxic drugs is trending in the right direction in the B.C. Interior and across the province, but more than six people continue to lose their lives every day to overdose.

New data from the BC Coroners Service shows 192 were killed by toxic drugs in B.C. last month, bringing this year’s death toll to 1,365.

Within the Thompson-Okanagan, 53 people have died in Kamloops this year (eight deaths in July), 47 in Kelowna (six in July), 24 in Vernon (five in July) and 18 in Penticton (one in July).

"Unregulated toxic drugs continue to cause more loss of life in British Columbia than homicides, motor-vehicle incidents, suicides and natural disease combined, tragically equating to about 6.2 people losing their lives each day," said Dr. Jatinder Baidwan, chief coroner.

"The unregulated drug market is volatile and continues to put people's lives at grave risk each month."

The data from July 2024 represents a 15% decrease from the number of deaths reported in July 2023 (226). Further to that, the annualized rate of death in 2024 is 41 per 100,000 residents, which is less than the annual rates from 2021 (43.9), 2022 (44.5) and 2023 (46.6).

In the Interior Health region, the rate of death this year is 43.1, down from 49.5 last year and 47.4 in 2022.

"Tomorrow, we mark International Overdose Awareness Day. To the loved ones of the approximate 15,140 British Columbians who have lost their lives to drug toxicity since this public-health emergency was declared in 2016, I extend my deepest condolences," Baidwan said. "These losses impact people far beyond our province, and we must not forget these are sons and daughters, parents and grandparents, co-workers and teammates."

Eighty per cent of unregulated drug deaths in July 2024 were males, up from the year-to-date figure of 73%. The rate of female deaths in 2024 (22 deaths per 100,000 people) is almost double that from 2020 (13 per 100,000).

Fentanyl was detected in nearly nine out of every 10 unregulated drug deaths in July 2024 that have undergone expedited toxicological testing.



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