July ties dubious record for drug deaths in B.C., as overdose

A new report from British Columbia's coroner says suspected illicit drug toxicity deaths in July were the second-highest ever recorded in a single month in the province.

The findings show deaths reached 184 in July, which tied with those in January 2021 and fell just behind June 2020 when 186 people died.

The report comes less than a month after chief coroner Lisa Lapointe said January to June was the deadliest ever for drug toxicity in B.C.

With data from July added, the report says the 1,204 suspected illicit drug toxicity deaths are the highest ever in the first seven months of a year _ 28 per cent above the same period last year.

Lapointe says an average of almost six people died every day in July, with 72 per cent between the ages of 30 and 59, while men accounted for nearly 80 per cent of the total fatalities.

Deaths involving fentanyl stayed at 86 per cent, unchanged from 2020, but the report says deaths linked to extreme fentanyl concentrations jumped to 13 per cent from eight per cent.