Drug toxicity deaths across the Island Health region trended up in February 2022, bucking a provincial drop in other health authorities. (Dreamstime)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

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NANAIMO — Island Health started 2022 heading in the wrong direction for drug toxicity rates.

The health authority was the only one in B.C. to not show a decline in deaths in February related to toxic drugs with 35.4 fatalities per 100,000 people.

While the number is far from the highest rate in B.C., all other health authorities showed a drop through February including substantial decreases in both Fraser and Northern Health. However, B.C.’s north continues to lead the province with 62.7 deaths per 100,000 people.

According to the BC Coroners service, 52 people lost their lives to toxic drugs in January and February 2022 across the Island Health authority, including 17 on the central Island and seven in the greater Nanaimo area.

Provincially, 208 people died from toxic drugs in January, with another 174 fatalities in February, the highest ever recorded in the month.

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“The deaths of another 174 B.C. residents, so many of them young and middle-aged men with years of life ahead of them, is yet another reminder that urgent action is needed on a province-wide scale,” Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner said in a statement.

Trends reported through a majority of the public health emergency so far have continued early into the new year.

A majority of the fatalities, 74 per cent, were people between 30 and 59-years-old. Of those people, 78 per cent were male.

Island Health recently launched a new media campaign in a bid to encourage men to seek help.

Dr. Sandra Allison, medical health officer for Island Health, told NanaimoNewsNOW in early April, that stigma and the fact someone is struggling with addiction is directly responsible for many deaths.

“Men don’t seek care as soon as they should and in fact, men often suffer in silence. We have a culture of stoicism perhaps or people being very strong but it’s a very difficult time so we really encourage people in that age group…please reach out and make those connections.”

Vancouver, Surrey and Victoria continue seeing the most toxic drug-related deaths.

The B.C. Coroners Service also said it’s seeing a spike in benzodiazepines. The substance was found in 15 per cent of samples in July 2020, but surged to 43 per cent in February 2022.

Another drug, Etizolam, was detected in 41 per cent of deaths in the same time period. The substance does not respond to naloxone, creating additional challenges for first responders.

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