VICTORIA — The number of illicit drug overdose deaths has dropped in British Columbia, but the coroners’ service says users need to remain cautious about an unpredictable and toxic drug supply. The BC Coroners Service says there were 69 suspected overdoses deaths in October, a 42 per cent decrease from those killed by illicit drugs in the same month last year. She says the decrease in overdose deaths is a promising trend, but the drug supply in the province remains unpredictable and the long-term impact of drug toxicity can be severe. The coroners’ service says the crisis is far from over, pointing out that B.C. Statistics from the coroners’ service say fentanyl or its analogues were detected in about 85 per cent of the illicit drug deaths so far this year and it was a factor in 87 per cent of the overdose deaths last year.

Source: National Post December 05, 2019 18:56 UTC