British Columbia is on track to surpass 2,000 toxic drug deaths for the second year in a row, after 171 people died in September, according to data released by the BC Coroners Service..“British Columbians are continuing to suffer the tragic effects of a toxic and volatile drug supply, with almost six members of our communities dying each day,” said BC Coroners Service Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe in a Monday press release. .“Both those who use drugs occasionally and those who are substance-dependent are at risk of sudden death from the unpredictable illicit market.”.The data said the 171 deaths in September were about the same total reported in August (169) and is equivalent to 5.7 fatalities per day. It said there have been 1,644 lives lost to toxic drugs between January and September, the largest number ever recorded in the first nine months of a calendar year. .The data went on to say 71% of deaths were between 30 to 59, and 79% were men. It added September was the 24th consecutive month where more than 150 drug overdose deaths happened. .Illicit drug toxicity is the leading cause of unnatural death in British Columbia and is second to cancers for years of life lost. At least 10,505 British Columbians died from drug overdoses since the public health emergency into drugs was declared in 2016..Lapointe said there should be “a statutory framework that encompasses all treatment and recovery services in British Columbia, along with appropriate regulations, standards, protocols, evaluation and public reporting regarding the measures being taken to address this crisis.”.She said it is important a safer option be available for tens of thousands of people at risk of serious harm or death. .The data said the areas reporting the highest number of illicit drug toxicity deaths in 2022 are Vancouver, Surrey and Greater Victoria. By health authority, the highest number of deaths were in Fraser (492) and Vancouver Coastal (457), making up 58% of them. .Lapointe said people who have been abstinent for a period of time or do not use often are at an increased risk. .“Their opioid tolerance is low and the prevalence of fentanyl in the illicit supply is high,” she said. .While British Columbia adopted a harm reduction approach, Alberta has promoted recovery through measures such as giving immediate access to opioid addiction treatment to people who have been arrested in Red Deer effective July. .READ MORE: Alberta government partners with Red Deer police to offer addiction treatment."People who commit a crime must be held accountable for their actions, but we can also treat addiction as a healthcare issue while keeping our communities safe,” said former Alberta mental health and addictions associate minister Mike Ellis. .The program’s expansion to Red Deer comes after seeing significant uptake in people in Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge and rural Alberta RCMP locations. These areas saw more than 400 people referred for an addiction medicine consultation between January and June.
