By Canadian Press

BC Coroners Service blames illicit drug supply for 184 deaths in June

Jul 19, 2023 | 9:16 AM

VANCOUVER — The BC Coroners Service says 184 people died in the province in June due to the toxic, unregulated drug supply that has claimed more than 1,200 lives in the first half of this year. 

The coroners service says the numbers show how risky it continues to be for users who access their drugs on the illicit market. 

Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe says illicit fentanyl is the main culprit driving the crisis in towns and cities big and small across British Columbia. 

Lapointe says the overdose crisis is a health emergency affecting all people who get their drugs from the illicit market, and not confined to any one neighbourhood or demographic. 

The coroners service says 90 per cent of all drugs tested in June showed the presence of fentanyl, and three quarters of the samples tested positive for a stimulant.

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Mental Health and Addictions Minister Jennifer Whiteside says the deaths are irreplaceable losses, and thanked health-care workers and other first responders for their work preventing more fatalities. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2023. 

The Canadian Press