The BC Coroners Service has issued a public safety warning due to an increase in deaths caused by toxic drugs.
During their update for October, the BC Coroners Service revealed the province is expected to record an unprecedented number of unregulated drug deaths in 2023.
Since that update, they’re reporting the number of deaths due to drug toxicity has increased above earlier indications.
Data is still under review, but preliminary indications suggest unregulated drug toxicity has caused more than 200 deaths in November, and that the province has averaged about seven deaths per day for the last seven weeks.
According to the Coroners Service, unregulated drug deaths in the winter months have historically increased over the numbers reported during the rest of the year.
They say the early increase could be a sign of another challenging season for people who use drugs in the province.
The Coroners Service is reminding people to not use drugs alone, and that people should take advantage of every support available to keep themselves safe.