The BC Coroners Service has released its latest report on the province’s overdose crisis with data covering January.
The report shows an unregulated, toxic drug supply has claimed the lives of at least 211 British Columbians, this equates to an average of about 6.8 deaths per day in BC through the first month of 2023.
Data shows no deaths due to BC’s opioid crisis were reported in the East Kootenay through January, there was 17 deaths in the region caused by a toxic drug supply through all of 2022.
There has been at least 11,195 illicit drug overdose deaths in the province since a public health emergency was declared by the BC government in response to the ongoing opioid crisis in 2016.
Click here to view the BC Coroners Service’s report, find a statement from the Coroners and the Province below:
Preliminary reporting released by the BC Coroners Service shows that the toxic, unregulated drug supply claimed the lives of at least 211 British Columbians in January, with the total number of deaths surpassing 200 for the eighth time in the past 16 months.
“Once again, our agency is reporting on preventable losses of life in heart-breaking numbers,” said Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner. “We are nearing the seventh anniversary of the declaration of the public-health emergency into substance-related harms, and the drug-poisoning crisis continues to cost lives and communities at an unprecedented rate. Toxic drugs pose a constant and ever-present danger to anyone who uses drugs. Anyone using any substance purchased on the unregulated illicit drug market is at risk of serious harm or death.”
Evidence collected through coroner investigations reflects the extreme risks posed by toxic drugs throughout B.C. While the largest number of deaths continues to be reported in the major urban areas of Vancouver, Surrey and Greater Victoria, the health service delivery areas with the highest rates of death in January were Vancouver, North Vancouver Island, Northern Interior, Central Vancouver Island and Northwest. By health authority, the highest rates of death were in Vancouver Coastal Health (64 deaths per 100,000 individuals) and Island Health (52 per 100,000). Overall, the rate of death in B.C. in January was 47 per 100,000 individuals. Of note, in 2016, the year the public-health emergergency was declared, the rate of death was 20.5.
The number of suspected illicit drug toxicity related deaths in January equates to an average of about 6.8 lives lost per day. Consistent with BC Coroners Service reporting throughout the nearly seven year old public-health emergency, seven out of every 10 decedents was between 30 and 59, and nearly 80% were male.
At least 11,195 deaths have been caused by illicit drug toxicity since the public-health emergency was first declared in April 2016. There continues to be no evidence that prescribed safe supply is contributing to illicit drug deaths.
“Recent announcements made by the province that are focused on increasing treatment and recovery options where and when people need them are tremendously encouraging. Members of coroners’ inquests and death review panels have consistently recommended a continuum of care that includes evidence-based treatment options, access to safer supply, and other essential harm-reduction tools to end this crisis, including drug-checking, overdose prevention sites, and the need to eliminate sitgma and criminalization. All of these key responses are necessary to address the tremendous and tragic loss of life our province continues to experience. It is estimated that there are more than 80,000 people in our province with opiod use disorder. Thousands of others regularly use stimulants such as cocaine. All of these members of our communities are currently at risk of sudden death. As noted by the all-party Select Standing Committee on Health in its November 2022 report: ‘…individuals and communities across the province need to come together with open minds and open hearts to turn the tide on this public health emergency.’ “
Additional key preliminary findings are below. Data is subject to change as additional toxicology results are received:
* In 2023, 69% of those dying were 30 to 59, and 77% were male.
* The townships experiencing the highest number of illicit drug toxicity deaths in 2023 are Vancouver, Surrey, and Greater Victoria.
* By health authority, in 2023 the highest number of illicit drug toxicity deaths were in Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health authorities (68 and 60 deaths, respectively), making up 61% of all such deaths during 2023.
* By Local Health Area, in 2022, the highest rates were in Vancouver – Centre North, Terrace, Merritt, Hope, and Prince George.
* Two deaths occurred at an overdose prevention site (OPS); one in 2022 and one in 2023.
A statement from BC’s Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Jennifer Whiteside is available below:
“Our province mourns the 211 British Columbians we lost in January. They left behind family and friends, who I know miss them every day.
“As we continue to lose loved ones, the effects of the toxic drug crisis remain as some of the most urgent challenges we face as a province.
“First responders, health care, front-line and community workers are changing lives and making a difference. We must continue to support their work.
“While the Province has been adding new treatment and recovery services, expanding overdose prevention and working to end the stigma around addiction, illicit substances have become more toxic.
“Budget 2023 invests more than $1 billion to accelerate our efforts to build an integrated system of care for mental-health and addiction services in our province. We are adding new treatment and recovery beds, creating new community recovery sites and opening the first-of-its-kind seamless model of addictions care at St. Paul’s Hospital.
“We know that in order to connect people to treatment and recovery, we must first keep them alive. That’s why we are continuing to invest and expand harm-reduction measures throughout the province to separate people from the toxic, unpredictable illicit drug supply. This year’s budget commits $184 million to support our response to toxic drugs, including adding more options for safe prescription alternatives, like diacetylmorphine.
“Our government is committed to supporting people. That’s been our priority since 2017 and continues to be our priority now. We are going to keep escalating our response to the toxic drug crisis by using all the tools in our toolbox to save lives and end this public-health emergency.”
– Article includes statement and files from BC Coroners Service and Province of British Columbia
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