By Roy L Hales

Across the province, there were 153 suspected illicit drug overdose deaths in November, according to a new report from the BC Coroners Service. The average is 5.1 deaths per day — the province is on the threshold of setting a new record, according to the Illicit Drug Toxicity Deaths in BC report.

30 of these were in the North Vancouver Island Health Service Delivery area, which stretches north from Courtenay and includes rural locations like Cortes and Quadra Islands, as well as urban centres like Campbell River.

This brings the total number of deaths in North Vancouver Island (the local region's Health Services Delivery Area) to 166 since since 2015.

Across the province, more than half (55 per cent) of the deaths in 2020 occurred in private residences. 26 per cent were social and supportive housing, SROs, shelters, hotels and other indoor locations. 15 per cent in vehicles, sidewalks, streets, parks and other outside locations.  There have been no deaths reported at supervised consumption or drug overdose prevention sites.

70 per cent of those who died were aged 30 to 59 and 81 per cent of them identified as males.

Campbell River: “Becoming a regular occurrence”

In a My Powell River Now article, Campbell River Fire Chief Thomas Doherty said that calls for overdoses are becoming a regular occurrence. There are times when firefighters have had to save the same drug user more than once in the same day.

“There are not enough paramedics out on the street to handle what’s going on. We’re heading in a real bad direction when it comes to the health services on the street right now, and we’re here to help and support our paramedics locally, and certainly support more resources for them, but at the same time we want to make sure we’re giving the citizens of Campbell River the best possible care that they can receive, ”he said in the article.

Campbell River RCMP spokesperson Const. Maury Tyre emailed Cortes Currents on the recent overdose call volume.

“We have seen anecdotally at the RCMP level anyway, an increase in overdose calls that we are responding to and there have been near deaths and deaths, presumably related to overdose in recent weeks and months," he wrote.

“Presently in Campbell River, there seems to be a batch of opiates that are a bit more potent than in the past," Tyre continued. "Users are well aware that what they are getting is Fentanyl but there has been a presence of Carfentnil in the drugs since last year. Another insert into the drugs in the last few months has been the introduction of Benzodiazapines which apparently smooth out the “high”, but seriously counter acts the Nalaxone/Narcan. We have seen people take 4-6 doses of Narcan to bring them back whereas before it was 1 or 2.”

Local drug trade

Tyre said there were numerous drug related crimes reported in Campbell River this year.

On Jan. 9, ten people were charged, and charges recommended for 10 others, for trafficking. On Aug. 30, police responding to a noise complaint ended up arresting a 34-year-old man from Campbell River for possible drug trafficking and possession of stolen property charges. The following night, a Campbell River man was hospitalized after being attacked by two assailants with a hammer. In the arrests that followed, police seized several grams of illicit drugs as well as stolen property.

“This is a stark reminder of the violence that follows the drug trade. The homes that house this activity are a plague on the community and the local RCMP are constantly investigating these houses,” said Const Tyre.

“Three local women will likely be facing multiple charges of possession for the purpose of drug trafficking, after a significant stash of cocaine and cash was located in an apartment building on 7th Avenue in the early hours of December 19th, 2020. A warrant was executed the following evening at an apartment in the 800 block of 7th ave. In total over $5,000 cash, over an ounce of cocaine, several grams of fentanyl, several grams of methamphetamines, and several grams of MDMA were seized. Two of the females were well known entities in the local drug trade and it’s believed the cocaine was being used to manufacture crack," Const.Tyre reported yesterday.