126 children and youth lost their lives in the past five years because of toxic drugs.
That comes from the BC Coroners Service in updated data released today, with the deaths reported from 2019 to last year.
According to the data, 28 youth died in 2023, above one percent of the 2,551 lives lost that year due to the ongoing drug crisis. The province says this crisis is the leading cause of death for youth, claiming 25 under 19-year-olds each year.
While Fentanyl was found in 83 percent of these deaths, other drugs including heroin, codeine, methadone, and hydromorphone were found in 30 of the reported deaths.
The data also shows 60 percent of the dead teenagers were between 17 and 18 years old, with 85 of the 126 youth had a mental health diagnosis, or evidence of one.
The province adds this data is subject to change as more results are discovered.
