A new report from the BC Coroner’s Service (BCCS) states Interior accounted for 19 percent of toxic drug deaths across the province, with 24 recorded over a five year period.
Interior recorded the second highest number of deaths in 2023, with seven.
Between 2019 and 2023, 126 youths lost their lives to toxic drugs. 60% of them were between 17 and 18 years old.
The report says unregulated drug toxicity is the leading cause of unnatural death among youth in the province.
28 of those came last year, accounting for a little over 1% of BC’s total toxic drug deaths – 2,551.
BCCS says fentanyl was detected in 83% of these deaths.
80% of drug deaths recorded in the general public are men, however more than half of youths who passed away from drug use since 2019 were female.
Two thirds of those who died were receiving, or had received support from the Ministry of Children and Family Development, and two thirds had a diagnosis or anecdotal evidence pointing towards a mental health disorder.
You can read the full report here.
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