Overdose Deaths Down Slightly in January
Prince George, B.C. – There was a slight decrease in the number of illicit drug deaths in B.C. last month, though the issue remains a grave concern.
The BC Coroners Service says illicit drug use accounted for 116 deaths in January, an average of more than seven deaths every two days – and still the third-highest number ever for a single month.
December saw the highest number of deaths ever at 142 and there were 128 in November.
“The January data show that almost 60 per cent of the illicit drug deaths involved persons between the ages of 30 and 49 years,” says the Coroners Service. “Continuing the trend from 2016, four out of five who died were male. More than 90 per cent of the deaths occurred in indoor settings with none reported from supervised consumption sites or overdose prevention sites.”
Forty-five of the deaths last month occurred in Vancouver – the highest in the province. There were none reported in Prince George (there was one reported in the Northern Health region. It was listed as a community in the northern Interior).
In light of the latest statistics, Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe urges those who don’t currently use drugs to “avoid experimentation or any casual use of illicit drugs” adding “the continuing high number of deaths shows that the risks remain extreme.”
She also says early indications are that many of those who have died are drug-dependent and in many cases, have not succeeded in a variety of drug treatment programs.
The provincial government responded to the overdose crisis yesterday by announcing an investment of $5 million to support the ongoing work of the Joint Task Force on Overdose Response.
The money complements the $65 million over five years the federal government is allocating to help deal with the opioid crisis.
Comments
They have funds for this continuously and yet we have the some old age pensioners just eking out a living! No way, no sympathy from this guy, being squandered far as I am concerned. I probably will get some people irate at me: tough! Priorities first and then do what they gotta do! Raise the taxes again? LOL
I agree with you. 100 %
Millions of dollars for people killing themselves, yet we have surgeries that are not being used, wait lists, dumbest set of priorities I’ve ever seen.
Any guesses why numbers are down?
There are choices in life. Money should be spent in educational programs to reduce the incidents of addition. Nothing like plugging up the medical system of those who return over and over. Wonder why waiting times are so long to have medical service…………
I fully agree with all of the above
Thank you all, thought I was going to get plastered! LOL. You are all on target so this is very cool.! Sadly true though!
We can have an objective viewpoint, unlike the folks mired in it.
Now, if only the front line Mounties can get a pay raise.
This might be a stretch but reminds of YRB, if you call with a complaint in April the girl will tell you that complaints seem to be tapering off. Just saying.
No doubt about it, the number of overdose deaths are lower, however it is my opinion that; not for a minute would the reduction in overdose death be attributed to any intervention this BC Liberal Government has initiated, rather the decrease in OD’s is probably due to a temporary shortage in the supply of Fentanyl on the streets.
Temporary shortage of fentanyl? lol you crack me up
You don’t have to worry about fentanyl in your weed with Trudeau on the job:
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Beinghuman…..noooo it’s lower because those using are dying off.. unfortunately
Lots of pot smokers out there that still haven’t overdosed yet!
“Startling statistics on fentanyl-related overdoses and deaths have prompted police and health authorities to issue a public warning — particularly to recreational pot users.”
“Vancouver police Const. Sandra Glendinning — at a news conference Monday to highlight the lethal risks of the synthetic drug — said they are now finding fentanyl turning up in batches of seized marijuana.She said city police will announce Tuesday a major fentanyl ring has been busted, but didn’t provide any further details.”
www .theprovince.com/users+warned+about+toxic+fentanyl/11599857/story.html
Funny just a month before that police said it wasn’t true when Premier Clark said it in an interview
Is not that I have to remind you this is not the first time Christy Clark has been caught lying, without the evidence to back her up (think NDP computer hacking), what amazes me is you got a story about Christy Clark out of the “bombshell” of a public health concern I dropped; where fentanyl has now been found in marijuana.
I, like most parents, are now genuinely afraid whether or not our children / teens will end up dead because they decided to experiment with what should have been a “safe” drug at any weekend party. This is what most sane people would be thinking about slinky… so give your head a shake!!!
Lying? You just proved her right, good job
Funny, months ago I mentioned that pot was being laced with dangerous drugs and I was basically told I had no idea what I was talking about even though my information came straight from a vice cop in Edmonton.
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