Seven died in Kamloops last month due to toxic drugs: B.C. Coroners Service

KAMLOOPS — Another seven people died in Kamloops last month as a result of the toxic drug supply.

New figures released Monday (June 19) by the B.C. Coroners Service show 38 deaths due to illicit drugs in Kamloops through the first five months of the year, up from 31 at the end of April.

Overall, B.C. saw 176 deaths in May due to illicit drugs, pushing the year-to-date total over 1,000 to 1,018.

Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe says fentanyl is doing the majority of the damage in B.C.

“BC Coroners Service findings confirm that this public-health emergency continues to be driven by illicit fentanyl,” said Lapointe in a news release. “Expedited testing in 2023 is positive for fentanyl in almost nine out of every 10 results, nearly double the positivity rate of methamphetamine and cocaine, the next most commonly identified substances. As long as people are reliant on the profit-driven unregulated market to access the substances they need, their lives are at risk.”

The figures show about 77 per cent of all drug deaths so far in 2023 have taken place inside private residences.