Four Kootenay residents lost to toxic drugs in April

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Four residents in the Kootenay Boundary region were killed by drug poisoning in April, while no deaths were reported in the East Kootenay.

The BC Corners Service report for the month said 182 people lost their lives to toxic drugs through April.

It also marked eight years since the toxic drug crisis was declared.

Since April 2016, over 14,500 people died from drug poisoning in B.C., including 763 in just the first six months of this year.

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Locally, four East Kootenay residents and nine people in the Kootenay Boundary region died so far this year.

Provincial officials said fentanyl continues to be a primary driver of unregulated toxic-drug deaths, as it has been detected in 82 per cent of toxicology test results.

“Unregulated drug toxicity is the leading cause of death for people in British Columbia age 10 to 59, and accounts for more deaths than homicides, suicides, accidents and natural disease combined,” said the B.C. government.


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