Fentanyl detected in 9 of 10 illicit drug toxicity deaths, B.C. coroner says

VICTORIA - The death toll for illicit drug overdoses in British Columbia has surpassed 1,000 people just five months into the year. A statement from the BC Coroners Service says the 176 deaths in May pushed the toll to 1,018 people who have overdosed due to unregulated drugs. The service says illicit drug toxicity is now the leading cause of death in B.C. Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe says expedited testing shows the powerful opioid fentanyl was present in almost nine of 10 results, nearly double the rate of methamphetamine and cocaine. A public health emergency was declared in April 2016 and since then, the service says at least 12,264 B.C.