Why were toxic drug deaths in B.C. down 21% in 2025? (www.cbc.ca)

submitted 18 hours ago by HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works to c/canada@lemmy.ca

14 comments fedilink hide all child comments

New research using drug-checking results could provide an insight into why toxic drug death tolls have been on a downward trend for two years now in B.C.

But scientists and officials say there are likely multiple factors behind exactly why the number of drug-related deaths in B.C. dropped by 21 per cent in 2025 compared to the previous year.

Though the number of overdose deaths have been dropping sharply across North America, those working in the field say there's no reason to celebrate given thousands continue to die, and efforts to stop deaths should be stepped up.

"It's not necessarily a decline in the crisis itself. The drug supply is still as toxic and unpredictable as ever, if not more so," said Samuel Tobias, a researcher at the B.C. Centre on Substance Use and PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia.

top 14 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[-] Archangel1313@lemmy.ca 11 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago)

David Hamm, the president of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU), said that the drop in deaths may also be due to the fact that harm reduction efforts that have been implemented over the years are proving successful.

Previous research has found that those efforts — like providing the naloxone and overdose prevention sites — have prevented thousands of deaths in B.C.

Well, good thing the BC government has decided to reverse course on all that, then. Wouldn't want to prove all those conservatives wrong, would we?

[-] maplesaga@lemmy.world -3 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago)

Even if less people die most communities dont want people shooting up next to them, or providing them free drugs which are being sold off to buy street candy. As to which is better it doesnt really matter, voters are who controls things in the end.

I'm a great Eby fan, so dont get me wrong. He genuinely seems like one of the few politicians who actually cares, outside of the indigenous land stuff which I think is hairbrained and doing great damage to property rights.

[-] Archangel1313@lemmy.ca 8 points 16 hours ago

This just shows how dumb we are as a species. And I mean that rhetorically (not you).

All these measures were actually starting to work, and the results are that less people are dying. But, because some of us don't like the "optics" of it, we're back to just letting more people die again.

[-] NotSteve_@piefed.ca 6 points 16 hours ago

Dude, I live in an area (downtown Ottawa) with a lot of visibly homeless and drug use and its gotten so much worse since Ford started shutting down safe use sites. Like yay, instead of people smoking or shooting up in a safe environment with care staff, they're doing it outside on the street and outside the stores I go to

People are naturally going to drugs to one way or another and the fact that you're questioning whether those people are better off dying or not is just so fucking heartless. The cost of living has gotten so bad that average people are being forced onto the street and most people are going to fall into drugs when there's absolutely nothing else good in their lives

I hope you nor anyone you know is ever put in that sort of situation

[-] maplesaga@lemmy.world -4 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago)

I think the problem, if I can convey it properly, is a lack of action is neutral; and it isnt a bombshell. The fact we are giving them drugs which are then being sold off makes us look stupid and that is a bombshell, which immediately conveys incompetence, and that dictates peoples narratives.

[-] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 4 points 14 hours ago

Why in the fuck do you think unhoused people who are addicted to drugs would sell off their safe supply???

Unless you have real scientific data to back that up may I suggest you sit down and be quiet.

[-] maplesaga@lemmy.world 1 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

Well it was widely reported. The drugs are less powerful, and are obviously safe supply so are worth more in resale.

https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/evidence-shows-safe-supply-diversion-is-a-problem

[-] lemonySplit@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 hours ago

Yet again, sun media is ameriKKKan owned propaganda. Fuck off with this shit

[-] maplesaga@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago

The police are cited, it wasnt just them reporting it.

[-] lemonySplit@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 hours ago

Great then cite that and stop sharing sun media for fucksakes

[-] maplesaga@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

Well they cited it in the article. I just searched it and that was the first one that came up.

Here's a left leaning propaganda to balance it out:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/safe-supply-seized-campbell-river-1.7234296

[-] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 hours ago

There are zero proofed facts in that article. Do you have a better source?

[-] maplesaga@lemmy.world 2 points 2 hours ago

This looks like one:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/safe-supply-seized-campbell-river-1.7234296

[-] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 hour ago

Thanks. Just a couple of things here ... the first is you seem to be lumping every addict together, even tho many are using the system appropriately. Second is that if people are broke they will sell what they have to get money -- whether that be drugs, personal items or hitting the pawn shop.

The fact is the science has shown that there are usually 2-5% of any demographic who try to get around the rules. So why are the other 95-98% treated like crap?

Eby is an asshole. Always has been. No other NDP leadership talk or operate like he does. Maybe instead of killing the program he could think of better ways to treat peopleike human beings.