At least 192 British Columbians died from toxic drugs last month, including nine Kootenay residents.
This comes as the BC Coroners Service released its latest report, which included data up to the end of 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.”
Locally, five people were killed by toxic drugs in the Kootenay Boundary area and four lives were lost in the East Kootenay.
So far this year, 19 people were killed in the Kootenay Boundary, 13 people were killed in the East Kootenay and 1,365 lives were lost to drug toxicity across the province.
The BC Coroners Service said July 2024 saw a 15 per cent drop from the same time last year.
Officials also note that the annual death rate in 2024 so far is 41 per 100,000, which is lower than 2021 (43.9), 2022 (44.5) and 2023 (46.6).
“Tomorrow (Aug 31), 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.”
According to the report, fentanyl was detected in nine out of 10 unregulated drug deaths in July.