Kamloops on pace for lowest rate of drug deaths in a decade: province

KAMLOOPS — The number of deaths attributed to toxic drugs in Kamloops this year doubled last month – but the city is still seeing its lowest rate of drug deaths in a decade.

New totals released by the BC Coroners Service Wednesday (May 13) show six deaths blamed on unregulated drugs in Kamloops to the end of March. There were three such deaths recorded to the end of February.

Kamloops saw 54 deaths blamed on toxic drugs last year and a record 92 in 2022.

The city’s 2026 pace of two deaths per month would result in the lowest year-end total since 2015, when only seven such deaths were recorded for the entire year.