Illicit drug deaths in British Columbia through the first 10 months of 2016 continue to occur at the rate of about two each day, according to the latest statistics from the BC Coroners Service.

For the first 10 months of 2016 (Jan. 1 through Oct. 31), provisional data indicates that the total number of deaths from illicit drug overdoses was 622, compared to 397 for the same period of 2015. The total number of illicit drug deaths in October was 63, up from 57 in September, but very close to the average number of deaths each month for the past 12 months (61.3). (The numbers for the previous months may change slightly as the result of further investigation of some deaths.)

Fentanyl remains present in a high number of illicit drug deaths. From Jan. 1 through Sept. 30, 2016, fentanyl was detected in a total of 332 cases, or about 60% of all illicit drug deaths. That is almost triple the number of fentanyl-detected deaths for the same period last year.

The BC Coroners Service research unit notes that the proportion of males dying from illicit drug use has steadily increased over the past four years. In 2012, 71.2% of those who died in these circumstances were male. To date this year, that figure has risen to 80.7%.

With the number of deaths remaining so high, the BC Coroners Service continues to stress the importance of harm-reduction measures that need to be followed by anyone using any illicit drugs or accompanying anyone who is using. These include:

• never using alone;
• having naloxone present and readily available when using; and
• knowing the signs of an overdose and calling 911 immediately.

The BC Coroners Service continues to work with the provincial government’s Joint Task Force on Overdose Response and with health, community and law-enforcement agencies in an effort to reduce this death toll. Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe will also attend the federal Health Minister’s Opioid Conference in Ottawa on Nov. 18, 2016, focused on exploring meaningful strategies related to drug overdose deaths.

The updated report on illicit drug deaths can be found at:
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/public-safety-and-emergency-services/death-investigation/statistical/illicit-drug.pdf

The updated report on the number of deaths involving fentanyl can be found at:
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/public-safety-and-emergency-services/death-investigation/statistical/fentanyl-detected-overdose.pdf ‎