Two new illicit drug deaths in area since July: B.C. Coroner Service

The BC Coroner Service reporting that five people have now died from illicit drugs in the Merritt region since the start of 2024 with two new deaths reported since July.

In total, the province saw 187 British Columbians die in August and 183 perish in September.

The preliminary data finds that since January 2024, at least 1,749 people have died from unregulated drug toxicity in communities throughout the province.

The data for the first nine months of 2024 represents an eight per cent decrease from the number of deaths during the first nine months of 2023.

In both August and September, approximately six people died each day from suspected unregulated drugs.

Additional findings from the latest report include:

• 48% of unregulated drug deaths in September were people between the ages of 30 and 49,
• Fentanyl was detected in 85% and stimulants in 81% of unregulated drug deaths in September 2024 that underwent expedited toxicological testing.