B.C. overdose deaths in January drop 30 per cent to 152, continuing downward trend

The British Columbia coroner says 152 people died of toxic drug overdoses in January, marking four consecutive months that the toll was under 160. People take part in a rally to mark the public health emergency of the declaration due to the significant increase in opioid-related overdoses across the province in Victoria on April 14, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

VICTORIA — The British Columbia coroner says 152 people died of toxic drug overdoses in January, marking four consecutive months that the toll was under 160.

January's figure was down more than 30 per cent from the same time last year when there were 219 deaths.

The coroners service says half of those who died in January were between the ages of 40 and 59, while three were children or youth under the age of 18.

The powerful opioid fentanyl and its analogues were found in 77 per cent of tests on those who died, followed by methamphetamine, while 46 per cent of those who died had bromazolam in their system, a benzodiazepine that reduces the effectiveness of overdose-reversing drugs.

The coroner says while the number of deaths were down overall, the Fraser and Interior health regions saw increases in their overdose toll.

The service says about 46 per cent per cent of the deaths reported occurred in a private home and its investigations show that 57 per cent of those who died smoked their drugs.

There have recently been declines in drug deaths across North America, with Health Canada reporting a 12 per cent drop from January to September 2024, compared to the same period in 2023.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control says reported U.S. drug deaths in October 2024 were down more than 25 per cent, year on year.

The Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health in Canada issued a statement last week saying there had been a "small, but welcome decrease" in the number of overdose deaths, hospitalizations, emergency department visits and emergency responder calls in the last nine months.

The statement said many factors are being explored for the cause of the changes, including regional differences in illegal drug markets, changes in substance use patterns, and investments in public health measures and treatment and recovery programs.

It says based on drug samples seized by police, the Drug Analysis Service is reporting changes in the composition of the illicit drug supply.

The samples that contain fentanyl have declined since 2020, but the drug's analogues now appear in a greater proportion than fentanyl itself, suggesting they may be replacing it in the illicit supply, the statement says.

"The presence of benzodiazepines in opioid samples has also declined in 2024, though regional differences persist, with some jurisdictions reporting increases in stimulants and benzodiazepines."

It said that while the continued decreases in deaths from the poisonings are encouraging, numbers and trends are subject to change and should be interpreted with caution.

"National numbers remain well above levels observed prior to the pandemic, and there were 5,626 lives lost to toxic drug use between January and September 2024," the statement says.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 14, 2025.

The Canadian Press