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Vaughn Palmer: Dropping opioid death toll hints B.C. NDP retreat on harm-reduction may be working

The coroner isn't ready to say why the death toll is down, but it coincides with retrenching on decriminalization

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VICTORIA — Deaths from toxic drugs have dropped by a third in B.C. over the past year, a period that coincides with NDP government curbs on open drug use, safer supply and decriminalization.

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“In April 2026, 119 people in B.C. lost their lives to suspected unregulated drug toxicity according to preliminary data,” Chief Coroner Dr. Jatinder Baidwan reported last week. The reported death toll for the same month last year was 174.

Vaughn Palmer:........

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