Sixteen people in the East Kootenay have lost their lives to toxic drugs so far in 2024, including 11 deaths in Cranbrook, two in Kimberley and one in Fernie, according to the latest BC Coroners Service (BCCS) report.

Unregulated toxic drugs claimed the lives of 187 British Columbians in August and 183 in September, the BCCS reported.

The preliminary data finds that since January 2024, at least 1,749 people have died from unregulated drug toxicity in communities throughout the province.

The data for the first nine months of 2024 represents an eight per cent decrease from the number of deaths during the first nine months of 2023 (1,896). In both August and September, approximately six people died each day from suspected unregulated drugs.

Additional findings from the latest report include:

* 48% of unregulated drug deaths in September were people between the ages of 30 and 49, while 1.1% were 18 years of age and below.

* 77% of unregulated drug deaths in September were males, up from the year-to-date figure of 74% in 2024.

* 26% of deaths related to unregulated drug toxicity were females in 2024. The rate of death among females is 21 per 100,000 people, an increase of 60% from 2020 (13 per 100,000).

* Vancouver (45), Surrey (19) and Greater Victoria (16) had the highest number of unregulated drug toxicity deaths in September.

* While the health authorities of Vancouver Coastal and Interior Health had the highest number of unregulated drug deaths in September with 50 in each region, Interior (5.6) and Northern Health (4.3) had the highest rates of unregulated drug deaths per 100,000 people.

* Fentanyl was detected in 85% and stimulants in 81% of unregulated drug deaths in September 2024 that underwent expedited toxicological testing.

Please note the data is preliminary and subject to change as additional toxicology results are received and investigations are concluded.

A total of 26 people died in the East Kootenay last year and 19 in 2022.

e-KNOW

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