Three more people have died in 91原创 from toxic drug overdoses in August and September, as the total number of deaths in B.C. this year passed 1,700 according to the B.C. Coroners Service.

The total number of deaths linked to toxic street drugs in 91原创 rose to 29 for the first nine months of the year. That's up from 26 deaths in the data up to July, released earlier this year.

If the average number of monthly deaths continues, 91原创 is on a pace for a slightly lower number of drug deaths than last year, when 45 people lost their lives, but the number could still be in the high 30s.

Before the crisis began and fentanyl began arriving in large quantities in B.C., 91原创 typically saw five to 10 drug deaths a year.

Province-wide, at least 1,749 people have died across B.C. so far this year, said the report.

Although the number of deaths is still very high, it's down eight per cent from the 1,896 people who had died by this time last year.

About six people a day were dying across the province from the toxic drugs supply.

The crisis, which began just under a decade ago, continues to claim lives predominantly from certain groups.

In September, 77 per cent of those dying were men, and 48 per cent were between 30 and 49 years old. The Coroners Service estimated that 1.1 per cent were aged 18 or younger.

The potent opioid fentanyl continued to be the primary cause of death, with the drug detected in 85 per cent of deaths, while stimulants were found in 81 per cent in September where expedited toxicological testing was done.

The street drug supply in B.C. has become a mix of fentanyl, stimulants, and prescription drugs. The proportion of benzodiazepines and methamphetamines involved in drug deaths have both increased significantly over the past few years.