The B.C. Coroners Service has reported that 2020 was the worst year in B.C. in terms of number of lives lost due to illicit drugs.
There were 1,716 deaths in 2020 which represents a 74 per cent increase over the number of deaths recorded in 2019, which was 984. The number of deaths in B.C. equates to about 4.7 deaths per day, which is two deaths higher than the previous year.
The toxic drug supply in B.C. has claimed more lives than motor-vehicle crashes, homicides, suicides, and prescription-drug related deaths combined. A drug toxicity report finds that Fentanyl or its analogues were detected in more than 80 per cent of illicit drug deaths in 2020. Cocaine and Methamphetamine were the next most commonly detected drugs. In 2020, 84 per cent of deaths happened inside and 14 per cent happened outside.
No deaths were reported at supervised consumption or drug overdose prevention sites.
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