Late August spike in drug overdoses in much of B.C.

Overdoses have spiked in the past week, with 911 calls for help skyrocketing as a notorious drug once again infiltrates Canada's supply.

As health authorities warned they were observing a surge in drug poisonings across the Lower Mainland, B.C. Emergency Health Services saw 911 calls for overdoses spike 50 per cent for the last week of August compared to the week before.

The B.C. Coroners Service tells CTV News there does not appear to have been a correlating rise in suspected drug toxicity deaths in that time, but the overall trend has been creeping up again after decreasing for months.

“It does seem that drug poisonings are again increasing in British Columbia, particularly non-fatal events increasing over the summer with a substantial spike last week,” said Dr. Alexis Crabtree, the public health physician for harm reduction and substance use services at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

To contextualize the surge, she said the late August numbers are 28 per cent higher than the last week of July, and 16 per cent higher than August 2024. BCEHS paramedics responded to a total of 1,203 overdose calls in the last week of August, compared to 785 the week prior.

“Any time we see a rapid change in the number of drug poisoning events, I think that often means that there’s been some sort of a change in the drug supply,” Crabtree said, pointing out that the illicit supply is unpredictable and ever-changing.

Drug testing in Vancouver Coastal Health found benzodiazepine and a fentanyl analog precursor in triangular white tablets sold as hydromorphone, while a Fraser Health bulletin warns “carfentanil is re-emerging in B.C.ʼs drug supply.”

Carfentanil is “primarily used in veterinary medicine for large animals and is not intended for use in humans,” according to the bulletin.

“That’s a particular concern because (carfentanil is) so potent and because in Alberta they’ve recently seen an increase in both (overdose) events and deaths,” noted Crabtree. “If a person has a higher dose of it, additional doses of Naloxone might be required.”

Overdose alerts have also been issued by Interior Health for Vernon and Trail.

A significant number of deaths from toxic drugs happen in the victim’s own home; they happen in all walks of life, with far more men than women succumbing.

For years, health officials have urged the public to take up free training in the use of the overdose antidote Naloxone, which is effective on opioids including fentanyl, methadone, and heroin.

“The vast majority of illicit drug toxicity deaths happen when people use alone because there is no one to call 911,” wrote BCEHS in an email to CTV News. “BCEHS stresses the importance of not using alone, going slow, using the Connect app by Lifeguard if you do use alone, and calling 911 if you see someone who may be experiencing an overdose.”

The waits for detox in British Columbia have plummeted with a new “single door” recovery program, which is part of the province’s revised approach to the toxic drug crisis.