The report says fentanyl or related drugs were detected in 83 per cent of the deaths, either alone or in combination with other substances
Author of the article:
The Canadian Press
Published May 28, 2024 • 1 minute read
VICTORIA — A report from the BC Coroners Service says 126 children and youth younger than 19 died from toxic drugs between 2019 and 2023.
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.
B.C. had 126 children and youth deaths from toxic drugs in five years: report Back to video
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.
That makes unregulated drug toxicity the leading cause of unnatural death for the age group over those five years.
The report says fentanyl or related drugs were detected in 83 per cent of the deaths, either alone or in combination with other substances.
Advertisem*nt 2
Story continues below
This advertisem*nt has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS
Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.
- Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay, Rex Murphy and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.
- Unlimited online access to National Post and 15 news sites with one account.
- National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
- Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
- Support local journalism.
SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ARTICLES
Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.
- Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay, Rex Murphy and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.
- Unlimited online access to National Post and 15 news sites with one account.
- National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
- Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.
- Support local journalism.
REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
- Access articles from across Canada with one account.
- Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
- Enjoy additional articles per month.
- Get email updates from your favourite authors.
Don't have an account? Create Account
or
View more offers
Article content
It says about two-thirds of those who died were receiving services offered through the Ministry of Children and Family Development, or had previously received them.
About 60 per cent of those who died were aged 17 or 18, while just over half of those who died were females, in contrast to the general population where about eight in every 10 people killed by toxic drugs is male.
Since B.C. declared a public-health emergency in April 2016, at least 14,400 people in the province have died from toxic drugs.
Recommended from Editorial
- B.C.’s request to make public drug use illegal again approved by feds
- Eight years since B.C. declared public health emergency, toxic drug crisis rages on
Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Create an AccountSign in
Join the Conversation
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.
Trending
- Terry Glavin: Canada slowly acknowledging there never was a 'mass grave'
- The first thing thieves often do after stealing a car is park it nearby. Here's why
- Another Canadian Jewish school hit by gunfire
- What is flagpoling in Canada, and why is Chuck Schumer angry about it?
- Subscriber only. John Ivison: Tens of thousands of people want to join our military but we’re snubbing them
Subscriber only
Read Next
Latest from Shopping Essentials
- 5 summer sleep saviours to help you catch some cool Zzzs These five bedtime finds will become summer sleep essentials.
18hours ago
- Father’s Day gifts that any lad will love Ideas for a range of budgets and interests
19hours ago Shopping Essentials
Advertisem*nt 2
Story continues below
This advertisem*nt has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
- Herman Miller, Steelcase, Ikea: Best office chairs to improve your work from home space The internet’s top eight favourite office chairs
20hours ago Shopping Essentials
- Canadian concert tours: Hottest tickets in 2024 Childish Gambino, The Killers, Pitbull and Aventura are on sale now
20hours ago
- Graduation gifts that high schoolers will love Thoughtful graduation gift ideas that start at $36
1day ago Shopping Essentials
This Week in Flyers