Close X
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
ADVT 
National

Toxic drugs leading cause of death in B.C. for those age 10 to 59: coroner

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 25 Sep, 2023 01:47 PM
  • Toxic drugs leading cause of death in B.C. for those age 10 to 59: coroner

British Columbia's coroner says drug toxicity is the leading cause of death in the province for those aged 10 to 59, far larger than homicides, suicides, accidents and natural diseases combined. 

The statistic comes as the latest figures are released for August, saying there were 174 toxic-drug deaths last month. 

The numbers represent the lowest monthly death toll recorded since June of 2022, however the coroners' service cautions that the data is preliminary and could change as investigations are completed. 

More than 1,600 people have died in the first eight months of this year, bringing the number of overdose deaths in the province to almost 13,000 since a public-health emergency was declared in April 2016. 

A statement from the coroner says almost two-thirds of those who died in 2023 smoked their drugs, underscoring the need for safe spaces to consume drugs. 

Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe says the relentless scale of the public-health crisis requires a proportionate response, and it continues to recommend urgent collaboration from government ministries to save lives. 

"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. If we cannot implement these changes, our loved ones will continue to die," Lapointe says in the statement. 

The highest rates of death this year have been in the Northern Health region, where 58 people per 100,000 have died, while that number is 56 per 100,000 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region. 

The coroner's statistics show 70 per cent of the deaths were people aged 30 to 59 and 78 per cent of those were male. 

Mental Health and Addictions Minister Jennifer Whiteside says in a statement that it's clear that communities across B.C. are grappling with the devastating effects of the toxic-drug crisis. 

"Building on what we have learned, we are focusing on early intervention and expanding support services everywhere," she says in a statement. 

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Generosity of local businessman, Bobby Pawar, gets Langley Food Bank a bigger space

Generosity of local businessman, Bobby Pawar, gets Langley Food Bank a bigger space
Food bank reps such as Calamunce approached Pawar to buy their building so the Food Bank could expand and meet the needs of many of the less fortunate in our communities. 

Generosity of local businessman, Bobby Pawar, gets Langley Food Bank a bigger space

Youth charged in Surrey stabbing

Youth charged in Surrey stabbing
On August 18th of last year Surrey RCMP responded to an assault in progress at the intersection of 184Street and Fraser Highway and found 45-year-old victim Leroy Billy suffering from stab wounds. Billy was transported to hospital, where he died of his injuries.

Youth charged in Surrey stabbing

Canada must explore links between immigration, housing crunch: Marc Miller

Canada must explore links between immigration, housing crunch: Marc Miller
The housing crisis is a chief topic of conversation at the retreat, which comes as the federal Liberals prepare their agenda for the fall sitting of Parliament. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. estimates Canada needs about 5.8 million new homes by 2030 to restore housing affordability.

Canada must explore links between immigration, housing crunch: Marc Miller

Air quality advisory lifted for most of Metro Vancouver

Air quality advisory lifted for most of Metro Vancouver
An air quality advisory covering most of the Vancouver area has been lifted. The Metro Vancouver Regional District says a change in weather has reduced the amount of fine particulate matter in the air coming from wildfire smoke in the B-C Interior.

Air quality advisory lifted for most of Metro Vancouver

Structural losses from wildfires in West Kelowna area estimated at fewer than 90

Structural losses from wildfires in West Kelowna area estimated at fewer than 90
Premier David Eby was scheduled to visit the fire-ravaged southern Interior on Tuesday, along with Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma and Forests Minister Bruce Ralston, to get a first-hand look at the devastation caused by the raging wildfires. 

Structural losses from wildfires in West Kelowna area estimated at fewer than 90

Firearms charges against US man

Firearms charges against US man
The Canada Border Services Agency says charges have been laid against an American man after he attempted to bring guns into the country. It says in a statement today that the man was stopped on May 6 by C-B-S-A officers at the Abbotsford border crossing as he attempted to pass through B-C on his way to Alaska.

Firearms charges against US man