Greater Campbell River continues to be one of the worst Local Health Areas in the province for unregulated drug deaths, according to the BC Coroner’s Service. Vancouver-Centre North, Terrace, Prince George and Grand Forks were also named.
So far this year, 1,925 British Columbians have lost their lives because of unregulated drug use. 155 of them died in October.
These numbers come on the heels of the Canadian Mental Health Association’s recently released State of Mental Health in Canada 2024, which reported that “32% of all apparent drug-related deaths in Canada occurred in British Columbia. This province is ground zero in the drug toxicity crisis. The high rates of housing insecurity and unaffordability, core housing need and poverty all contribute to these drug-related harms.”
“While we are starting to see a decrease in toxic drug poisonings in 2024, the toxic drug supply remains one of the most serious threats to public health, affecting people from all walks of life,” said BC Health minister Josie Osborne.
Powerful organized crime groups are allegedly making billions from the drug trade and ‘targeting the local real estate market to launder drug profits, contributing to the housing affordability crisis.’
On the local level, the Campbell River Community Action Team stated, “Longtime residents report the ongoing role of organized crime in drug trafficking, some of which is believed to enter the community via the water.”
There have been numerous reports of local drug busts.
For example, on September 25, Campbell River RCMP seized over 1.6 kg of Fentanyl, over 180 grams of Cocaine, over 290 grams of methamphetamine, a small number of dilaudid pills as well as cash, weapons including a firearm and other indicia of drug trafficking.” At one of the three locations raided that day, fentanyl was diluted, dyed, flavoured and molded into the shapes of dinosaurs and LEGO bricks.
However the State of Mental Health Report points to Canada’s failure to fund mental health initiatives (6.7% of budget) adequately in comparison with France (15%), the UK (9%), Sweden (9%) and Germany (11.3%) . “The toxic drug supply in Canada is the second deadliest in the world following the US.”
This report describes “the recent rollback of the decriminalization pilot” in BC is a step backwards.
“Despite historic investment for mental health in 2023, the 2024 budget was flat. British Columbians continue to experience greater-than-average barriers to mental health, addictions and substance use health (MHASU) services.”
Top image credit: Hypodermic Needles scattered on the ground near a homeless encampment – Photo by Cindy Shebley via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
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