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Drug overdose deaths set record in B.C.

Coroners statistics reveal 914 people died in B.C. last year, with 215 in Vancouver

A record-breaking number of people – 914 -- died in B.C. last year of a drug overdose, with 215 of those dying in Vancouver, according to statistics released by the B.C. Coroners Service Wednesday.

The total number of deaths was a 79 per cent increase over 2015, when 510 people died province-wide, with 134 of those in Vancouver. Surrey saw 108 deaths in 2016 (up from 76) and 66 were recorded in Victoria (up from 18).

“To those who might ask why the numbers keep growing despite the significant harm reduction measures being implemented, I would respond by noting emphatically but for the dedicated efforts of emergency health responders, social agencies, volunteers and public servants from across ministries and agencies, I have no doubt these numbers would be much, much higher,” said Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe at a news conference from Victoria. “We’re all starting to realize that these deaths we’re seeing represent the tip of the iceberg in terms of illicit drug dependency in B.C., where previously many of those using illicit drugs were able to carefully manage risk. There is no ability to do that now.”

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B.C. Coroners Service statistics for illicit drug overdoses in B.C. in 2016.

 

The deadly synthetic narcotic fentanyl was linked to 60 per cent of the deaths recorded between January and October of last year. Vancouver police also confirmed carfentanil, an opioid that is 100 times more toxic than fentanyl, was linked to the overdose death of a 39-year-old man in November.

But Lapointe said the Coroners Service was unable to immediately update to what extent the link to fentanyl still exists because of the volume of toxicology tests being done on victims. That information is expected in March.

“While there’s no doubt fentanyl and opioids is the most significant contributor to the deaths we’re seeing, not everyone who dies was taking fentanyl or an opioid such as heroin,” said Lapointe, noting fentanyl has been frequently found in combinations with cocaine and methamphetamine. “This is an illicit drug dependency crisis and it is not likely to be resolved anytime soon.”

None of the deaths occurred at the city's two supervised injections sites or the so-called overdose prevention sites allowed to operate by the province in Vancouver and across B.C., where volunteers are trained how to administer the overdose-reversing drug, naloxone .Ninety per cent of the overdose deaths occurred inside, with 61 per cent in private residences. Males accounted for 81 per cent of the deaths.

B.C. Health Minister Terry Lake said close to 100 overdoses were reversed at more than 20 of the overdose prevention sites set up as an additional measure to combat the crisis.

In addition, he said, the province’s mobile medical unit in the Downtown Eastside has treated more than 600 overdose patients since the facility began operation in a vacant city lot at 58 West Hastings in mid-December.

“The evidence would suggest that many, many more lives would have been lost had we not done what we have done,” the minister said in response to a reporter’s question on whether the government could point to any wins in the fight against overdoses.

Lake reiterated a previous promise that the province is on track to have 500 drug treatment beds open by the end of March. Lake said another $10 million will be spent over the next year to make 60 beds available for a 90-day treatment program.  

“It’s crucial that people working to rebuild their lives have a range of affordable, easy-to-access services to support their journey every step of the way,” he said, noting follow-up supports such as counselling will be available for patients for up to a year.

Intensive outpatient services and removal of financial barriers to opioid addiction treatment medication will also be offered to drug users, said the minister, who also urged the federal government to declare the overdose crisis a national health emergency. Last year, the provincial government declared the crisis a public health emergency.

Statistics show that Vancouver over the past decade had not recorded more than 100 deaths per year until they reached 134 in 2015. An indication drug overdose deaths were increasing in Vancouver occurred in 2014, when 99 people died. Vancouver saw drug death lows of 38 in 2008 and 42 in 2010.

The City of Vancouver, meanwhile, released a report Wednesday that tallied the unprecedented number of overdose calls responded to by firefighters, who began carrying naloxone kits in the spring of 2016.

Firefighters stationed at Hall 2, which is located in the Downtown Eastside at the epicentre of Vancouver’s drug death crisis, attended 443 overdose calls in December compared to 118 in December 2015. That’s a 275 per cent increase.

Firefighters stationed at the department’s main hall in Strathcona responded to 91 calls in December compared to 23 in December 2015. Fire Hall 8 on Hamilton Street near the Vancouver Public Library saw firefighters dispatched 28 times in December 2015 for overdose calls compared to 67 in December 2016.

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A city report that goes before city council Tuesday has tallied the number of overdose calls responded to by firefighters in 2016.

 

The same city report also broke down the $107,000 the city spent recently on combatting the drug death crisis in Vancouver.

A total of $55,000 went to preparing the city’s property at 58 West Hastings to accommodate the province’s mobile medical unit, which was set up to handle overdoses and offer services to get addicts help with treatment for their addictions.

Another $43,000 was spent to cover the costs of deploying an additional medic unit --from Dec. 1 to 31 -- out of Fire Hall 2 at 199 Main St. Naloxone training and hosting a mayor’s forum on the drug death crisis cost $9,000.

In the report, city staff recommends city council approve spending more than $2 million this year to continue funding an additional medic unit, open a community policing centre in Strathcona, offer additional naloxone training to city staff and provide more funding for 11 community policing centres.

Council will review the report next Tuesday.

"The city continues to do more than its share in addressing this public health crisis and we will keep pressuring the B.C. and federal governments to take immediate action for more treatment, education and drug policy reform to save lives and solve this public health emergency," Mayor Gregor Robertson said in a statement Wednesday.

mhowell@vancourier.com

@Howellings