Credit Interior Health website

By Vernon Matters Staff

toxic drug deaths

Toxic drugs deaths: monthly increase in Interior Health

Mar 14, 2025 | 2:45 PM

Preliminary data from the BC Coroners Service shows 152 people died in this province in January due to unregulated drug toxicity.

Half those deaths were people aged 40 to 59.

While January marked the fourth consecutive month in which the number of deaths reported was below 160, certain areas of the province saw an increase.

That includes Interior Health with 21 and Fraser Health with 57. Twenty-one people died across IH in January, which is up from the 14 fatalities the previous month although still lower than the average monthly trend in the region in years previous.

Across the whole province an average of almost five people per day died from unregulated drugs.

Food Storage, Distribution

Provincial investment to boost food infrastructure, security in the North Okanagan

8h ago

3.75% Increases in '25, '26

B.C. Hydro rate increases to be kept below inflation

10h ago

Conservative Candidate

Former Vernon councillor to run in next federal election

12h ago

Seven people died in Kelowna in January while there were two fatalities in Vernon.

There were 87 such deaths in Kelowna throughout 2024 and 42 in Vernon.

In a media release, the BC Coroners Service said three deaths in January were reported among children and youth under the age of 18.

From December 2024 to January 2025, deaths among males in B.C. climbed from approximately 73% (109) of deaths to 79% (120). In the same period, the deaths of 40 females were reported in December, compared with 32 in January.

Consistent with reporting throughout the public health emergency, fentanyl and its analogues were the most common substances detected in expedited toxicology among unregulated drug deaths in January.

More than three-quarters of decedents who underwent testing were found to have fentanyl in their body (77%), followed by methamphetamine (52%) and bromazolam (46%).