Another eight people lost their lives to toxic drugs in Kamloops in the month of July, taking the total on the year to 53.

That’s according to new preliminary data from the BC Coroners Service, putting the city on pace for 91 such deaths this year. It would be the second worst year on record behind the 92 lives lost in 2022.

Across B.C., the Coroners say there were 192 people who died of a toxic drug poisoning in July, taking the total on the year to 1,365 people.

“Unregulated toxic drugs continue to cause more loss of life in British Columbia than homicides, motor-vehicle incidents, suicides, and natural disease combined, tragically equating to about 6.2 people losing their lives each day,” new Chief Coroner Dr. Jatinder Baidwan said.

“The unregulated drug market is volatile and continues to put people’s lives at grave risk each month.”

Baidwan says the number of deaths this July is down 15 per cent from the 226 in July 2023. He also says the annualized rate of death in 2024 is 41 per 100,000 residents, which is less than the annual rates from 2021 (43.9), 2022 (44.5), and 2023 (46.6).

But he also cautions that people who use drugs are at risk of significant injury or death as fentanyl was detected in nearly nine out of every 10 unregulated drug deaths in July.

“Tomorrow, we mark International Overdose Awareness Day. To the loved ones of the approximate 15,140 British Columbians who have lost their lives to drug toxicity since this public-health emergency was declared in 2016, I extend my deepest condolences,” Baidwan added.

“These losses impact people far beyond our province, and we must not forget these are sons and daughters, parents and grandparents, co-workers and teammates.”

You can find more information from the BC Coroners Service here.