File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By James Peters

Overdose Deaths

B.C. sets new record with 175 overdose deaths in June

Jul 16, 2020 | 12:15 PM

VICTORIA — B.C. has hit another grim milestone in its ‘other’ public health emergency, the battle against opioid overdoses.

According to new statistics released by the B.C. Coroners Service, 175 people died of illicit drug overdoses in B.C. last month, a new monthly record.

That number is four more than in May, and more than twice as many as in June of last year.

There have now been 728 deaths from drug overdoses so far in 2020.

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In Kamloops, the total of drug overdose deaths to date in 2020 is 25. That is fifth-most in the province by township and nearly matches the Kamloops total for all of 2019, which was 26.

In its reports, the Coroners Service lists the Thompson-Cariboo as one of the local areas with the highest rates of overdose deaths, and Lillooet as one of the communities with the highest rates.

Eighty per cent of those who died from overdoses were men and 68 per cent were between the ages of 19 and 49.

READ THE FULL REPORT: