According to the Yukon Coroner’s Service, overdose deaths from toxic and illicit drugs are decreasing in the territory.
In an Aug. 14 update, coroner Heather Jones said the coroner’s service has investigated the overdose deaths of six people from toxic drugs so far in 2024.
However, by this time of year in 2023, the service had investigated twelve deaths. The total number of substance-related deaths for last year was 23.
The Yukon has been in an ongoing state of substance use health emergency since the state of emergency was declared in January 2022.
Compared to the past four years of the “crisis,” Jones wrote, 2024 has seen less fatalities.
All of these cases involved opioids, and five involved the use of cocaine, according to the update. Benzodiazepines were involved in one case.
All of the deaths occurred in Whitehorse in the first six months of the year, Jones told the News in an email. Four of the cases were male, and five were people identifying as First Nation.
These deaths are “heartbreaking,” but the lower number of deaths could be reason for hope, Jones wrote in the update.
“I can only speculate and simply hope that newly implemented resources are making this difference,” Jones said.
The territorial Department of Health and Social Services said the decline is encouraging.
A spokesperson for the department highlighted the “compassionate and consistent work and caring of front-line staff and dedicated (non-government organizations) such as Blood Ties Four Directions and (the Council of Yukon First Nations).”
The spokesperson also urged anyone using illicit drugs to test them beforehand. Blood Ties Four Directions, the Outreach Van and 405 Alexander St. in Whitehorse provide drug-checking services, they said. Blood Ties also has a supervised consumption site on Sixth Avenue in Whitehorse that is open daily, according to its website.
Furthermore, health and social services said they’re expanding opioid treatment services, including “medically-supervised safe supply.” Treatment services are provided at the referred care clinic and on an outreach basis at Blood Ties, the Whitehorse Emergency Shelter, Housing First and Cornerstone, said the spokesperson.
“We are still facing a substance use health emergency and taking our foot off the gas now would be a serious mistake,” wrote the department spokesperson.
