File photo (Image credit: CFJC Today).

By Aaron Schulze

Toxic Drug Crisis

Kamloops did not record a death due to illicit drugs in September: BC Coroners Service

Nov 1, 2023 | 11:42 AM

KAMLOOPS — The toxic drug crisis did not take a single life in Kamloops during the month of September.

New figures released Wednesday (Nov. 1) by the BC Coroners Service show 62 deaths due to illicit drugs in Kamloops as of September 2023, which is unchanged from the end of August. Kamloops suffered its deadliest year in 2022 with 92 fatalities.

Overall, B.C. saw 175 deaths in September due to illicit drugs, pushing the year-to-date total to 1,836. Five of those deaths were record in the Thompson Cariboo Shuswap health service delivery area for a year-to-date total of 108.

B.C. remains on pace to surpass its deadly record of 2,383 deaths in one year in 2022.

Along with the numbers, the coroners service attached a death review panel that recommends community groups be allowed to hand out drugs without a prescription in an attempt to stop toxic drugs from killing more people.

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The coroners service’s figures can be viewed here.