Six toxic drug deaths in first four months reported in Cranbrook this year: BC Coroners Service

Of seven fatal overdoses in the East Kootenay this year, six have been in Cranbrook, according to the latest update from the B.C. Coroners Service released Thursday.

The update, with data from the first four months of the year, reports at least 206 deaths from the toxic drug supply, a four per cent increase from March.

So far this year there has been 814 deaths in B.C. — a rate of 6.9 per day — as the numbers are trending to exceed last year's grim record of 2,340.

"Illicit fentanyl continues to be the main and most lethal driver of B.C.'s drug-toxicity public-health emergency, having been detected in 86 per cent of deaths in 2022 and 79 per cent of deaths in 2023," said Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner. "Cocaine, methamphetamines and/or benzodiazapines are also often present.

"This drug poisoning crisis is the direct result of an unregulated drug market. Members of our communities are dying because non-prescribed, non-pharmaceutical fentanyl is poisoning them on an unprecedented scale."

For the last 31 consecutive months, at least 150 lives have been lost due to the unregulated drug supply.

There is no evidence to suggest that diverted safe supply has been a factor in toxic drug-related injuries and deaths of youth that have been reported to B.C..'s representative for children and youth.

"Based on the reports of critical injuries and deaths that my office reviews every month, we have not seen any indication that youth are using from diverted supply," said Jennifer Charlesworth. "The injuries and deaths reported to us are as a result of youth accessing the illicit supply and they are typically using an array of substances.

"Through our advocacy work and in-depth reviews, young people are advising us that they are accessing an illicit supply in order to cope with the trauma that they are dealing with in their lives."

In 2016, the province declared a public health emergency in response to to the toxic drug crisis that has since been responsible for thousands of deaths.

In a statement, Jennifer Whiteside, the mental health and addictions minister, touted the province's investments in treatment and recovery serices, while acknowledging the toll of the crisis.

"This crisis continues to take its toll in every part of our province, and I am grateful for the dedicated work of front-line workers and peers who save lives every day, and answer the call when people in our province need them," said Whiteside.