Dr. Bonnie Henry

There are calls for more action on safe drug supplies and recovery programs from British Columbia's chief coroner and the top doctor as the province marks the fifth anniversary of the overdose crisis.

Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe says 7,024 people have died from illicit drug overdoses since the public health emergency was declared in April 2016 and expanded treatment options are needed immediately.

She says illicit drug overdoses now rank as the fourth highest cause of death in B-C, with 43 being the average age of people dying of overdoses.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says government moves toward decriminalization of drugs and access to safe supplies are important steps forward, but more bold and courageous actions are needed.

She says the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has seen increased toxicity of illicit drugs that has resulted in record overdose deaths in the last year.

Dr. Shannon McDonald, acting chief medical officer at the First Nations Health Authority, says toxic drugs continue to take a deadly toll on Indigenous people, with overdose death numbers much higher than provincial averages.