The final grim tally of suspected toxic drug deaths in Richmond in 2024 came to 25.
According to the latest statistics from the BC Coroners Service, one person died in December and another in November in Richmond.
Provincially, there were 2,253 deaths from suspected drug poisonings.
This is down by 13 per cent from 2023 when 2,578 people died. In Richmond, there were three fewer deaths than in 2023.
Across B.C., 81 per cent died indoors, either in private residences or in other residences such as social housing, SROs and shelters.
The coroner's report notes, across the province, fentanyl was detected in 78 per cent of the deaths. Fluorofentanyl, which can be twice as potent as fentanyl, was detected in 46 per cent and bromazolam - a benzodiazapine - was found in 41 per cent. (These statistics are for expedited toxicology tests.)
Only three per cent of those who died had hydromorphone, prescribed to some chronic opioid users, in their system.
The provincial government has recently cracked down on hydromorphone - "safe supply" - use after reports that it was being diverted and sold on the black market.
New hydromorphone patients will have to ingest it while being supervised rather than being allowed to take it home to ingest. Current patients will be transitioned into a supervised program, the provincial government announced last week.
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