More recommendations, including safe supply, are being made from the BC Coroners Service death review panel to help B.C. combat a growing public health emergency. (Dreamstime)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

INCREASING FATALITIES

Safe supply & decriminalization top death review panel recommendations for drug toxicity crisis

Mar 9, 2022 | 11:43 AM

NANAIMO — The BC Coroners Service is again recommending safer supply and more supports to help battle province’s drug toxicity crisis.

Recommendations come after a death review panel was established to study 6,007 fatalities linked to toxic drugs between Aug. 1, 2017 and July 31, 2021.

The panel’s report, released Wednesday, March 9, outlined several priorities for the province to address the growing issue of increasingly harmful additives tainting street drugs, beginning with immediately creating a safe supply for those with substance use challenges to access.

“Illicit drug toxicity is the leading cause for unnatural death in the province, accounting for more deaths than suicides, homicides, motor vehicle incidents, drownings and fire-related deaths combined.,” Michael Egilson, chair of the panel, said during a presentation on Wednesday.

Last year was a particularly deadly one for B.C., the central Island and Nanaimo.

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British Columbia recorded a record 2,224 deaths linked to toxic drugs in 2022 including 120 on central Vancouver Island, again another high mark.

Nanaimo recorded 49 of the central Island’s deaths, the second highest during the public health emergency behind the 56 fatalities in 2017.

“Deaths are increasing both in numbers and in rates, the drug supply has become increasingly toxic and more drug toxicity deaths occur among younger adults, the average age is 42,” Egilson added.

The first recommendation tasked the province, specifically the ministries of mental health and addictions, and health, to create a framework for safe supply distribution province-wide by May 9.

Such a framework would allow for action on other recommendations, including rapidly expanding safe supply access, provide alternate medication options for those at risk of substance use patterns and more effectively identify people at risk of death from toxic drugs.

“A safer drug supply on its own will not resolve this public health emergency, but is urgently needed to reduce the number of people dying at unprecedented numbers,” Egilson said.

Another main recommendation to stem from the report include creation of a 30-60-90 day action plan by the same May 9 deadline to set clear goals for the province to bring the toxic drug public health crisis to an end.

Ongoing monitoring of the provincial situation would help adjust the course out of the crisis by identifying relevant and changing needs and accessibility of substance use treatment options at a local level.

As part of the action plan, the Coroner’s death panel also reiterated a call from the province to have the federal government decriminalize personal possession of illicit drugs in B.C. by April 11.

A final recommendation is more long term, which involves the creation of a substance use system of care frame work by June 9, with further targets for implementation in early September and March 2023.

The panel’s report also further confirmed long-known truths about the toxic drug crisis.

Deaths are rising with an increasingly toxic supply, Indigenous people are affected at a disproportionate rate than other groups, working-aged men account for a majority of the deaths and those dealing with mental health challenges are more likely to turn to opioids.

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