Access to a safer supply of drugs and more care to support substance users is the key to reducing the number of illicit drug-related deaths in British Columbia, a new report has found.

The report, released by a panel of experts convened by the BC Coroners Service, looked at the circumstances around 6,007 deaths from illicit drugs toxicity between Aug. 1, 2017, and July 31, 2021.

According to the report, illicit drug toxicity is still the leading cause of "unnatural death" in the province, accounting for more deaths than homicides, suicides, motor vehicle incidents, drownings and fire-related deaths combined.

"This report includes realistic, actionable recommendations that the panel believes will reduce the number of people dying due to toxic, illicit drugs in our province," said Michael Egilson, death review panel chair.

"We recognize that many of the timelines in the report are aggressive, but COVID-19 has demonstrated how swiftly policy-makers can act when lives are at stake and we know that every month of inaction equates to hundreds more lives lost."

The three recommendations from the report say a safer drug supply is needed first, followed by the development of a 30/60/90-day Illicit Drug Toxicity Action Plan that includes monitoring, and the establishment of an "evidence-based continuum of care."

For more info, please go to: https://globalnews.ca/news/8669717/safer-drug-supply-illicit-drugs-deaths-bc-coroner/

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