The number of British Columbians dying from fentanyl-related overdoses increased by nearly 200% in 2016.
There were 374 fatal overdoses linked to fentanyl between January and October of this year – there were 127 during the same period last year.
In a teleconference this morning,Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe thanked those working on the front lines of the crisis.
“Despite the incredible efforts of those working on this crisis, the news is not good. The month of November brought the highest number of illicit drug deaths for a single month in recent memory. Provisional data shows that a total of 128 persons died as a result of illicit drug use.”
That’s an average of 4 fatal overdoses a day and the Coroners Service is worried that December’s death toll will be even higher.
In the north, 23 of 38 fatal overdoses have been linked to fentanyl so far this year. While that number is far below the dozens the Lower Mainland has seen, it’s still twice as high as last year’s total of 12.
Province-wide, 80% of the victims are men and more than half are under the age of 40.
Lapointe says the dangers of doing illicit drugs can’t be understated.
“One of the things that we’re struggling with, I think, is that people think this is somebody else’s problem, somebody else is at risk. I can tell you, these are people in all communities across the province, all walks of life – teachers, doctors, university professors, students.”
Clayton Pecknold, BC’s Director of Police Services, agrees and says BC isn’t the only province experiencing problems.
“We’re seeing more and more carfentanil and fentanyl popping up in other provinces. We’re seeing overdose related deaths in other provinces. We are seeing a response from the federal government and we’re pleased with what they’re doing with Canada Border Services Agency in terms of increasing their ability to interdict this drug.”
Pecknold says China is the main source of fentanyl in BC with most of it coming through the mail.
You can read the Coroner’s report on illicit drug deaths here and fentanyl-related deaths here.
