By Pete McIntyre

Fatal drug overdoses in Vernon down

Dec 5, 2019 | 4:24 PM

The number of illicit drug overdose deaths in Vernon is down this year.

The B.C. Coroners Service says there has been 12 in the city to the end of October, compared to 24 for all of 2018.

The numbers are also down in Kelowna with 27 fatal drug overdoses, compared to 55 for 2018.

It’s a similar story provincially, but the coroners’ service says users need to remain cautious about an unpredictable and toxic drug supply.

There were 69 suspected overdoses deaths in October, a 42 per cent decrease from those killed by illicit drugs in the same month last year.

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Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe says while fatalities have decreased, the service knows from their health-care partners that the number of non-fatal overdoses remains high.

She says the decrease in overdose deaths is a promising trend, but the drug supply in the province remains unpredictable and the long-term impact of drug toxicity can be severe.

(With files from The Canadian Press)

by Pete McIntyre

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