Kelowna numbers also dropped in 2018
Fewer people died in BC from illicit drug overdoses in January, but the BC Coroners Service says the number of deaths, they believe were caused by carfentanil, more than quadrupled in just one month.
90 people across the province died of suspected drug overdoses in January – down from 116 deaths in December.
However, carfentanil was responsible for 13 deaths in January – up from three a month earlier.
The synthetic opioid is used as a sedative for large animals – and is believed to be 100 times more toxic than fentanyl.
In Kelowna – there were 55 illict drug overdose deaths in 2018 – down from 74 in 2017.
So far this year – three people have died.
(The Canadian Press/AM 1150 News)
