The Okanagan’s three largest cities remain on track to set a grim record for the number of toxic drug deaths this year.
In September, the BC Coroner’s Service report indicated that 10 more people died in Kelowna of an overdose, raising the city’s 2022 death toll to 64 thus far. With three months remaining in the year, the city is on track for surpassing the 77 deaths from 2021, previously the highest number of deaths recorded.
Similarly, the north and south Okanagan are also seeing unprecedented numbers of drug deaths.
Vernon had 30 toxic drug deaths as of the end of September, compared to 42 in the entirety of 2021.
Penticton had 24 drug overdose deaths by the end of September, which puts it on track to surpass the 26 deaths recorded in 2021.
Collectively in B.C., the toxic drug supply claimed the lives of at least 171 people in September, putting the province on track to surpass 2,000 such deaths for a second consecutive year, according to data released by the BC Coroners Service.
“British Columbians are continuing to suffer the tragic effects of a toxic and volatile drug supply, with almost six members of our communities dying each day,” said Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner, in a press release.
“Both those who use drugs occasionally and those who are substance-dependent are at risk of sudden death from the unpredictable illicit market. Individuals who have been abstinent for a period of time or those who normally use stimulants are at increased risk. Their opioid tolerance is low and the prevalence of fentanyl in the illicit supply is high.”
The 171 deaths in September is roughly the same as the total reported in August 2022 (169) and is equivalent to about 5.7 deaths per day.
A total of 1,644 lives have been lost to toxic drugs between January and September 2022, which is the largest number ever recorded in the first nine months of a calendar year.