Drug-related deaths have become the primary cause of death in British Columbia following decriminalization.

Drug Overdoses: A Growing Crisis in British Columbia

Drug overdoses have become the leading cause of death for people ages 10 to 59 in British Columbia, following the decriminalization of several hard drugs in the Canadian province.

According to a press release from British Columbia’s Public Safety and Solicitor General Ministry, deaths from illegal drugs now surpass homicides, suicides, accidents, and natural diseases combined.

From January to May this year, 1,018 British Columbians lost their lives to drug overdoses, marking a 2.9% increase compared to the same period last year. Since April 2016, at least 12,264 individuals in British Columbia have died from illegal drugs.

In a groundbreaking move, British Columbia became the first Canadian province to decriminalize fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and morphine in January. The government aimed to address addiction as a health issue rather than a criminal justice matter.

“Decriminalizing people who use drugs breaks down the fear and shame associated with substance use and ensures they feel safer reaching out for life-saving supports,” said Jennifer Whiteside, the British Columbia minister for mental health and addictions, at the time.

As of Jan. 31, 2023, adults aged 18+ in BC who possess 2.5g or less of certain illegal drugs for personal use will not face criminal charges. BC will be the 1st province to take this step to treat addiction as a health issue, not a criminal justice one. https://t.co/jAa8Ehmcqt pic.twitter.com/0yMqnvvp6k

— BC Government News (@BCGovNews) January 26, 2023

As part of the pilot program lasting three years, residents of British Columbia who are over 18 can now carry up to 2.5 grams of previously illegal drugs without facing criminal charges.

The current overdose crisis is primarily driven by illegal fentanyl, although meth and cocaine are also popular choices, according to Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe.

“Expedited testing in 2023 has shown positive results for fentanyl in almost nine out of every 10 cases, nearly double the positivity rate of methamphetamine and cocaine, the next most commonly identified substances,” Lapointe explained. “As long as people rely on the profit-driven unregulated market to access the substances they need, their lives are at risk.”

The overdose crisis has also affected teenagers, with a report from the province’s Coroners Service revealing that at least 142 teens under the age of 19 died from drug overdoses between 2017 and 2022.

“We know that young people are not immune from the extreme dangers of the unregulated drug supply,” emphasized Lapointe. “A public-health crisis of this magnitude demands a comprehensive response that meets people where they are and provides the services they need to survive.”

Similar to British Columbia, some jurisdictions in the United States have also decriminalized hard drugs. Oregon, for example, decriminalized small amounts of cocaine, heroin, LSD, oxycodone, and methamphetamine in 2021. Washington state narrowly avoided decriminalizing drugs across the state earlier this year.

Cities such as Seattle, San Francisco, and Philadelphia, which face significant drug addiction problems, have not decriminalized hard drugs. However, progressive prosecutors in these cities are reluctant to prosecute drug addicts for unlawful possession or open-air drug use.

In a surprising move, the Seattle City Council recently voted not to enforce Washington state’s new drug law, which would have allowed the city to prosecute public drug use.