B.C. saw 1,749 drug deaths in first 9 months of 2024 [Video]

At least 1,749 people have died from toxic and unregulated drugs in British Columbia since the start of the year – a rate of more than six people per day, according to the latest data from the provincial coroner’s office.

The numbers indicate an eight per cent decrease in drug deaths compared to the first nine months of 2023, when 1,896 fatalities were recorded.

The B.C. Coroners Service says 187 British Columbians died from unregulated drugs in August and 183 more died in September.

Nearly half – 48 per cent – of the deaths recorded in September were among people between the ages of 30 and 49 years old, while 1.1 per cent were people under 18, according to a news release from the coroner’s service on Thursday.

Drug toxicity continues to be the leading cause of death in B.C. for people aged 10 to 59.

Men and boys accounted …