BC toxic drug death toll surpasses 1,000 in first 5 months of year

The death toll for an illegal drug overdose in British Columbia has passed 1,000 people in five months.

A statement from the BC Coroners Service says the 176 deaths in May pushed the toll to 1,018 people who overdosed on unregulated drugs.

The agency says toxicity from illicit drugs is now the leading cause of death in BC for people ages 10 to 59, more than homicides, suicides, accidents and natural diseases combined.

Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe says accelerated tests show the powerful opioid fentanyl was present in nearly nine out of 10 results, nearly double that of methamphetamine and cocaine.

Lapointe says that as long as people depend on the profit-driven unregulated market to access their drugs, their lives will be in danger.

A public health emergency was declared in April 2016 and at least 12,264 BC residents have since died of drug overdoses, according to the agency.