Kamloops has lost 14 people to unregulated drug toxicity in May and June 2025 alone, according to preliminary data from the BC Coroners Service. This recent increase follows 16 deaths in the first four months of the year, indicating the toxic drug crisis in the city remains a serious and ongoing challenge.

If the current pace continues, Kamloops is on track for some 60 drug toxicity deaths in 2025. This would be consistent with the high tolls the city has experienced in recent years, though still below the 90 deaths recorded in 2024 — the second deadliest year on record for Kamloops. The deadliest year remains 2022, when 92 people lost their lives to toxic drugs in the city.

Across British Columbia, drug toxicity deaths continue at alarming levels. In May and June alone, 292 people died across the province due to unregulated drugs, bringing the total for the first half of 2025 to 915 fatalities. These numbers underscore the persistent and widespread nature of the crisis.

Fentanyl and its analogues remain the most commonly detected substances in toxicology reports, present in about 70% of cases. Smoking is the primary method of consuming these unregulated toxic drugs.

Officials caution that the data is preliminary and subject to change as investigations proceed. However, the recent uptick in deaths in Kamloops highlights the ongoing and urgent public health challenges facing the community.

As the city continues to confront these sobering statistics, local health authorities emphasize the need for ongoing vigilance and tailored responses to address the evolving toxic drug crisis.