Home / Health / B.C. Drug Overdose Deaths Drop Significantly
B.C. Drug Overdose Deaths Drop Significantly
20 Feb
Summary
- Overdose deaths in B.C. decreased by 21% last year.
- 77% of overdose victims in B.C. last year were male.
- Expanded access to nasal naloxone aims to reverse overdoses.
In British Columbia, there was a notable decrease in illicit drug overdose deaths last year, with 1,826 fatalities reported. This represents a 21% reduction from the previous year and a nearly 30% decline from the peak in 2023. This marks the first time since 2020 that annual overdose deaths have fallen below 2,000.
The majority of those who died, 77%, were male, and roughly half of the deaths occurred in indoor settings. While fentanyl was present in 69% of fatal overdoses, there is a downward trend, with other substances like fluorofentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine also being detected.
Health Minister Josie Osborne announced expanded access to nasal naloxone, which temporarily reverses overdoses. The province has declared an overdose crisis nearly 10 years ago, and since April 2016, over 16,000 people have died from overdoses. The expanded naloxone program, part of a $50 million funding initiative, will see additional nasal kits distributed widely starting in April.
Injectable take-home naloxone kits are credited with averting nearly 40,000 deaths between January 2019 and October 2025. Drug poisoning remains the leading cause of death for British Columbians aged 10 to 59, and nasal naloxone is seen as an accessible tool for youth.
