Close X
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
ADVT 
National

126 children and youth died from toxic drugs in five years, says BC Coroners Service

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 28 May, 2024 05:25 PM
  • 126 children and youth died from toxic drugs in five years, says BC Coroners Service

A report from the BC Coroners Service says 126 children and youth younger than 19 died from toxic drugs between 2019 and 2023.

That makes unregulated drug toxicity the leading cause of unnatural death for the age group over those five years.

The report says fentanyl or related drugs were detected in 83 per cent of the deaths, either alone or in combination with other substances.

It says about two-thirds of those who died were receiving services offered through the Ministry of Children and Family Development, or had previously received them.

About 60 per cent of those who died were aged 17 or 18, while just over half of those who died were females, in contrast to the general population where about eight in every 10 people killed by toxic drugs is male.

Since B.C. declared a public-health emergency in April 2016, at least 14,400 people in the province have died from toxic drugs.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Sikh couple shot dead in possible case of mistaken identity: Canadian police

Sikh couple shot dead in possible case of mistaken identity: Canadian police
Jagtar Singh (57) dead on the scene, and rushed his wife Harbhajan Kaur (55) and their daughter to hospital with life threatening injuries. While Kaur succumbed to her injuries in hospital, their daughter, yet to be identified by the police, continues to battle for life at a trauma centre in Toronto.

Sikh couple shot dead in possible case of mistaken identity: Canadian police

Police say person took loaded gun into Ibrahim Ali murder trial: lawyer

Police say person took loaded gun into Ibrahim Ali murder trial: lawyer
A lawyer for Ibrahim Ali in his first-degree murder trial says police told him a person close to the proceeding brought a handgun into the Vancouver courtroom on Friday with "intent to kill." Kevin McCullough says police told him the Glock firearm was loaded.

Police say person took loaded gun into Ibrahim Ali murder trial: lawyer

Officers to wear body cameras: VPD

Officers to wear body cameras: VPD
Vancouver's Police Department says its officer will start using body-worn cameras in a six-month pilot project.  The department says in a statement that it believes the cameras will strengthen public safety and enhance trust and accountability. 

Officers to wear body cameras: VPD

IHIT investigates suspicious death in Surrey

IHIT investigates suspicious death in Surrey
Police in Surrey say they are investigating a suspicious death. R-C-M-P say officers were investigating a report of a suspicious vehicle when the body was found inside. Police say they're gathering evidence in the Newton neighbourhood where the body was found.  

IHIT investigates suspicious death in Surrey

Advocates, victims' families oppose destroying Robert Pickton evidence

Advocates, victims' families oppose destroying Robert Pickton evidence
Families of murder victims in British Columbia say the 14,000 exhibits collected by RCMP during the Robert Pickton serial killer investigation could be the last chance to find out what happened to their loved ones. Mounties have applied to the court to allow them to destroy the exhibits, saying all relevant evidence has been retained and they can’t keep every piece of property indefinitely.

Advocates, victims' families oppose destroying Robert Pickton evidence

Seniors over 87 can apply to join federal dental plan starting next week

Seniors over 87 can apply to join federal dental plan starting next week
The federal government hopes to avoid gumming up the works of its new dental-insurance plan by gradually phasing in enrolment over the course of the next year, Health Minister Mark Holland said Monday. Seniors over the age of 87 will be the first cohort to be able to apply to join a new federal dental-insurance plan. 

Seniors over 87 can apply to join federal dental plan starting next week