Statistical Services - BC Vital Statistics Agency

[Click here to download a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet of the above table and figure]

There were 279 deaths in the province from drug-induced causes in 2002 and 2,503 drug-induced deaths in 1997-2001.
About two thirds of drug-induced deaths in 2002 and 1997-2001 (60.6% and 71.3% respectively) were the result of accidental poisonings by drugs, and medicaments (169 deaths in 2002 and 1,785 deaths in 1997-2001).
Approximately one third of the drug-induced deaths (30.5%) in 2002 were the result of suicide by drugs and medicaments (85 deaths). The proportion of suicides among drug-induced deaths (18.6%) was lower in 1997-2001 (465 deaths).
Of the 396 suicide deaths in B.C. in 2002 (presented in Table 30), 85 suicides, or approximately one fifth of suicide deaths (21.5%), were drug-induced.

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