Four more people died of the toxic drug crisis in 91原创 in April, according to preliminary data released by the B.C. Coroners Service.

That makes a total of 17 people who have died of overdoses and toxic street drugs in the first four months of the year.

Across B.C., 182 people have died so far this year, a 24 per cent decrease compared to the 239 who had died at this time last year. However, the Coroners Service warned that the risk from the street drug supply remains high.

April 2024 marked eight years since the drug crisis was declared a public health emergency, as a toxic mix of highly-potent fentanyl and other drugs began killing an increasing amount of illicit drug users.

Since then, 14,582 people have lost their lives to the crisis in B.C.

Unregulated toxic drugs are the leading cause of death for people in B.C. between the ages of 10 and 59, killing more people in that age range than homicides, suicides, accidents, and disease combined.

The drugs killing British Columbians usually include fentanyl, but by last year a cocktail of drugs was being detected in fatal cases.

According to the Coroners Service, drugs found in fatal overdose cases in 2023 included fentanyl 84.8 per cent of the time, methamphetamines were found in 49 per cent of cases, benzodiazepines in 42.7 per cent, and cocaine in 40.5 per cent.

91原创's worst year for drug deaths remains 2021, when 58 people died in a single year. Last year, 47 people died. A decade ago, before the public health emergency was declared, deaths were usually around 10 people per year.