Over 1,500 lives lost to toxic illicit drugs in first nine months of 2021

The 181 reported deaths in August and the 152 in September are both record numbers for those months.

Vernon has seen 26 overdose deaths this year, one more than all of 2020. Kelowna’s total is 50 deaths to the end of September, which compares to 60 for all of last year. Kamloops has also had 50 deaths, with 60 in 2020.

Other key preliminary findings are show below.

71 per cent of those who have died as a result of suspected drug toxicity in 2021 were between 30 and 59, and 79 per cent were male.
The number of illicit drug toxicity deaths in August and September 2021 is equal to about 5.5 deaths per day.
By Health Service Delivery Area, in 2021, the highest rates were in Vancouver, Thompson Cariboo, Northwest, North Vancouver Island and Fraser East.
By Local Health Area, in 2021, the highest rates were in Upper Skeena, Lillooet, Merritt, North Thompson and Hope.
Deaths due to drug toxicity remain the leading cause of unnatural death in B.C.

Click here to read the full report from the B.C. Coroner’s Service.

Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, called it heartbreaking to see so many lives lost in August and September due to the drug-poisoning crisis.

“My thoughts and sympathies go out to all the families who have lost a loved one. The drug-poisoning crisis is happening all over Canada, and is affecting communities across the country and throughout our province, said Malcolmson in a statement.

The minister said the government will continue to build upon emergency-response services and community-based harm reduction services as part of improving B.C.’s mental-health and addiction care.

“We continue to expand substance-use treatment and recovery services in British Columbia. Later today, I will make an announcement on new treatment and recovery services to support people living with addictions.”

The Emily Dahl Foundation of Vernon, is urging officials to get to the root of the problem when it comes to the overdose crisis.

“Those who use intoxicants, drugs, or narcotics to escape from the common normal human condition will find that they have put obstacles in their own path when the time comes later to abandon these artificial methods for the natural ones which alone can give a permanent result,” said the foundation in a statement. “As such, drugs to treat drugs is not logical. Let’s get to the root of the problem – negative emotions. Let’s work on that and the thoughts of the world will begin to change to joy.”

The foundation, which promotes compassion and happiness, points to the work of Dr. Gabor Maté, and others, to see that “getting to the root of the problem” is the real solution.

“We need to change the conversation to provide an effective response to the crisis. Dissuading people from taking drugs and treating addictive behavior isn’t the answer. Understanding and addressing the emotional pain and adverse conditions at the root of addiction would be significantly more effective,” Maté said.

“Simply talking about trying to stop or preventing addiction without looking at those factors, or treating people without looking at their pain, is ineffective,” Maté added.

Maté has a background in family practice and a special interest in childhood development and trauma, and in their potential lifelong impacts on physical and mental health

His approach to addiction focuses on the trauma his patients have suffered and looks to address this in their recovery, according to Wikipedia.

Sherman Dahl of The Emily Dahl Foundation said the work done by Maté is very good, and the foundation is in the process of trying to book him to come to Vernon.

by Pete McIntyre

Over 1,500 lives lost to toxic illicit drugs in first nine months of 2021

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