A total of 152 people in British Columbia died from unregulated drug toxicity in January 2025, according to a coroner’s report released Friday, March 14.
On average, this equates to five people dying each day from unregulated drugs in the first month of the year.
The data, provided by the BC Coroners Service, shows that half of the deaths occurred among individuals between the ages of 40 and 59.
Three deaths were reported among children and youth under the age of 18.
The report also indicates a rise in fatalities among men. In December 2024, males accounted for approximately 73 percent of drug toxicity deaths in the province, but that number increased to 79 percent in January, with 120 deaths.
Female deaths, meanwhile, dropped from 40 in December to 32 in January.
While the number of monthly drug-related deaths has remained below 160 for the past four months, certain regions of the province saw an increase.
Fraser Health recorded 57 deaths, while Interior Health reported 21.
Fentanyl and its analogues remained the most frequently detected substances in toxicology reports, found in 77 percent of cases.
Methamphetamine was present in 52 percent of cases, while bromazolam, a potent benzodiazepine, was found in 46 percent.
Vancouver, Surrey, and Greater Victoria recorded the highest number of deaths, while Vancouver Coastal Health had the highest drug toxicity death rate at 40 per 100,000 people, followed by Northern Health at 32 per 100,000.
Nearly half of the reported deaths, 46 percent, occurred in private residences, while 18 percent took place outdoors.
Smoking was the most common method of drug consumption, identified in 57 percent of cases.
The BC Coroners Service emphasized that the data is preliminary and subject to change as further toxicology results become available and investigations continue.
