More lives lost to illicit drug crisis in Prince George

PRINCE GEORGE- New data from the BC Coroner’s Service found 41 lives in Prince George have been lost this year due to illicit drug toxicity, as of October 31. That number rises to 113 for Northern Health, with 13 of the North’s overdoses taking place in October. Last year, 132 overdoses were reported in Northern Health, while only 67 were identified in 2019. From January through August, Prince George reported 44.0 illicit drug deaths per every 100,000 people.

BC recorded a gruesome record in October, as the province saw the most ever overdoses recorded in a single month, with 201. This equates to about 6.5 deaths each day. As of October 31, the province has seen 1,782 suspected illicit drug overdoses, the most ever recorded in a single calender year.

Men continue to be disproportionately represented in BC’s overdose statists. 1,400 men have lost their lives this year, and 381 women. Meanwhile, 71% of the deaths this year have been among residents aged 30 to 59. Illicit drug toxicity deaths continue to be the most common cause of unnatural death in BC, a trend that has remained the same since 2016.

Illicit fentanyl and analogues are the most common cause of overdoses,followed by cocaine and amphetamines. None of these overdose deaths have occurred at safe consumption sites. The province is reporting that there is no indication that safe supply is contributing to these deaths.