The BC Coroners service says the death rate from illicit drug use for the first 10 months of this year remains high, and in fact are happening at the rate of 2 a day.
Provisional numbers show 622 deaths through to October 31st. That compares to the same period last year when the number was 397.
As well, Fentanyl was detected in about 60% of all drug deaths from January 1st through to the end of September. That's almost 3 times the fenantyl-detected deaths for the same period last year.
And over the past 4 years the deaths of males from illicit drug use has been on the rise ... growing from 71.2% in 2012 to 80.7% to date this year.
Given those numbers the BC Coroner's service urges anyone who is using drugs to never use alone, to have naloxone available, and to know the signs of overdose and call 9-1-1- immediately.