The numbers are staggering and tell a troubling tale of a drug crisis that law enforcement and health officials are struggling to get a handle on.
According to Fraser Health, as of July 31, there have been 433 apparent illicit overdose deaths in B.C., many of which are linked to fentanyl.
Those numbers are up by a whopping 74 per cent provincewide from the same period last year.
"That's an astonishing two deaths per day," said Dr. Arlene King with Fraser Health. "This is not an insignificant public health problem."
King said of the 433 overdose deaths, 155 occurred in the Fraser Health region, with at least two deaths in Delta. She said there have been 77 overdoses in Delta with a suspected 66 per cent fentanyl-related.
King said there is no quick-fix to the issue.
"This is a real complex problem. We have all kinds of users from occasional users, like youth who experiment with drugs, then we have individuals who have dependencies on illicit drugs, so it's a real complex answer," she said.
"But that being said, we know it's important that we work with youth to be aware that no illicit drug is safe. Unless you get medication from your pharmacist, no illicit drug is safe."
In response to the growing concern around fentanyl and a Sept. 1 incident in South Delta that saw nine non-fatal overdoses during a 20-minute period, Delta police co-hosted a pair of information forums last week with the Delta School District and Fraser Health.
Speakers discussed a range of fentanyl topics including what fentanyl is, why it's dangerous, how prevalent it is and how it can impact even casual users and their families.
"The forums were a good start," said King. "We all realize that parents and youth are very concerned about what they are hearing about the overdose issues. We also know there is a decrease in substance abuse in youth who have strong relationships with their parents and adults. If you have a loving and supportive relationship with adults, you don't have those feelings of hopelessness and isolation, which can lead to these substance abuse issues. "This is a sudden and explosive epidemic with fentanyl abuse, but we also want to create resilience related to all substance abuse, harmful alcohol abuse and other addictions that pose problems to our young people," she said.
Delta police have confirmed that one person was arrested in connection with the drug trafficking investigation and the Sept. 1 suspected fentanylrelated cocaine overdoses in South Delta.
A/Sgt. Sarah Swallow said the suspect has been released without charge pending further investigation.
Swallow said the investigation itself remains active.
"At this point, our investigation is focused on the trafficking aspect rather than the personal possession aspect of the incident," Swallow said.
FENTANYL FACTS
What is fentanyl?: Fentanyl is a substance that has been found in an increased number of overdose deaths. It is a synthetic opioid, 50 to 100 times more toxic than morphine. Pharmaceutical fentanyl is used medically as a painkiller or anaesthetic. There has been an increase in recent years in illicitly produced fentanyl being sold as tablets, powder and cut into other drugs.
What is Naloxone?: Naloxone is a medication that can reverse an overdose. Naloxone is available free to people who use drugs and can be purchased at pharmacies for non-drug users.
