Toxic drugs killed 192 people in B.C. last month, coroner reports

More than six people per day continue to die from using toxic drugs in British Columbia, according to the latest report from the provincial coroner's office.

At least 192 people died from drug toxicity in B.C. in July, a rate of about 6.2 deaths per day, the report says, bringing the total number of deaths from unregulated drugs in B.C. this year to 1,365.

The numbers represent a 15 per cent decrease in drug deaths from July 2023, but a 4.5 per cent increase in deaths since June, when 184 people died from using toxic drugs in B.C.

"Unregulated toxic drugs continue to cause more loss of life in British Columbia than homicides, motor-vehicle incidents, suicides and natural disease combined," Dr. Jatinder Baidwan, the province's chief coroner, said in a statement Friday.

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

The data show most of the drug toxicity deaths this year were recorded in Vancouver with 296, Surrey with 130 and Greater Victoria with 101, while the Northern Health region had the highest concentration of deaths at 75.7 per 100,000 people.

The coroner's report comes as the province prepares to mark International Overdose Awareness Day. B.C. Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Jennifer Whiteside called on the province to come together Saturday to reflect on the deadly course of the drug crisis.

"We must work together to turn the tide, recognizing that no single action can solve this," Whiteside said in a statement. "While we've seen some progress with fewer deaths this year, we cannot allow ourselves to become indifferent to this crisis. Every life lost is one too many. We must not, and will not, accept this as normal."

Most deaths from smoking drugs

B.C. Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau issued her own statement Friday, calling on the government to "move beyond empty statements" and provide monthly updates on the number of people accessing safer-supply drugs and the availability of public and private treatment spaces in the province.

"At a time when life-saving services are being sacrificed for political gain, we must continue to advocate for evidence-based policies," Furstenau said.

"As we mourn with families over the release of today's coroners service report and stand with our community tomorrow on International Overdose Awareness Day, we will continue to fight for the changes needed in our province to keep our loved ones alive and safe."

Approximately 15,140 British Columbians have died from toxic drugs since the province declared a public health emergency in response to rising opioid-related deaths in 2016.

The latest coroner's report shows 80 per cent of those who died last month from regulated drugs were males, up from the year-to-date average of 73 per cent.

Fentanyl was detected in nine out of every 10 unregulated drug deaths in July, according to the coroner, with smoking as the primary mode of consumption responsible for 64 per cent of drug deaths last month.