174 people died of toxic drug overdoses in August, B.C. coroner reports

The B.C. Coroners Service is reporting another 174 toxic drug overdose deaths in August, bringing the number of British Columbians lost to the public health emergency through the first eight months of 2023 to 1,629.

"We are continuing to lose members of our communities in heartbreaking numbers as a result of the toxicity of the illicit drug market,"said ChiefCoroner Lisa Lapointein a statement.

"No town, neighbourhood or family is immune from this crisis and as the years of this public-health emergency go by, more and more British Columbians are experiencing the devastating loss of a friend, colleague or family member to the illicit-drug supply."

The August number works out to an average of 5.6 deaths per day. Itis the lowestin asingle monthsince June 2022 and a 14 per cent decrease from the 203 deaths recorded inJuly. But the coroner cautions that the data is preliminary and that one month does not make a trend.

Toxic illegal drugs are the leading cause of death in B.C. for people aged 10-59, according to the coroners' service, outstripping homicides, suicides, accidents and natural deaths combined.

The opioid fentanylcontinues to be the major factor in overdose deaths,detected in 85 per cent of expedited toxicological testing in 2023.

Conversely, acoroners' service initiative to monitor for the presence of safer supplydrugs has found hydromorphone in only threeper cent of such tests.

At least 12,929 people have died since the province declareda toxic drug public health emergency in April 2016.

So far this year, 78 per cent of the people who died were maleand 70 per cent were aged 30-59.

Northern Health has the highest rate of death of the province's five health regions at 58 per 100,000 individuals.

Lapointe continues to call for more urgency and better collaboration between authorities in response to the crises.

"Improvements in the quality and reach of harm reduction and evidence-based treatment services are essential, as is the critical need to ensure that those at risk of dying can access safer, regulated drugs," she said.