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Drug deaths escalate, but North Island slows down

NORTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND, B.C. – There have been 1,380 overdose deaths in B.C. this year.

That’s according to the latest statistics from the BC Coroners Service.

But the North Island has seen a bit of a slow down in overdose deaths.

29 of those deaths were in Nanaimo.

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In the North Island, that number is 25, which is a slow down compared to last year’s 38.

Overall, B.C. is seeing four drug overdose deaths per day.

In November 120 people died after using illicit drugs.

That’s a 13% increase over the number of deaths in November of 2017 when there was 106, and a 9 per cent increase over the number of deaths in October of 2018 when there was 110.

According to the Coroner, in 2018, 86% of fatal illicit drug overdoses happened inside, with 58% of those in private homes, 25% in other homes including social and supportive housing, shelters, and hotels.

The rest happened outside or in vehicles.

There were no deaths at supervised consumption or drug overdose prevention sites.

-with files from Sharon Vanhouwe

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