VICTORIA, B.C. – The latest Coroners Service report revealed illicit drug toxicity deaths broke records for May of this year. Sonia Furstenau, Leader of the B.C. Greens and MLA for Cowichan Valley has released the following statement.
“There were 195 people who died in May due to the toxic drug supply, the highest ever recorded in this month. These deaths have been reported month after month for six years, and they have been increasing for well over a year.
“Words of sadness have long lost their impact. When I speak with community members, they share their feelings of intense frustration and fear that their lives matter less.
“Since May of this year the Select Standing Committee on Health has been hearing from a wide and diverse range of experts, people with lived experiences, and professionals who have all brought concrete solutions forward.
“It has been valuable to hear from so many on the front lines of this emergency, and the Committee will publish our report in November, but the government does not need to wait. The government can – and should – be implementing solutions all the time, on all fronts. This government has had years to recognize that the services provided are not meeting the needs of people who use drugs. You don’t create a continuum of care and services by talking about it – you make it by implementing solutions. And when it’s an emergency, you do it with urgency.”
-30-
Media contact
JoJo Beattie
Press Secretary
B.C. Green Caucus
+1 250-882-6187 | [email protected]