Drug overdose numbers continue at epidemic proportions, despite a slight drop last month.
102 people died from suspected drug overdoses in BC in March, down from 126 deaths in January and 122 in February.
Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe said the expansion of overdose prevention sites and the increased availability of naloxone are helping to stabilize the death rates.
Despite the improved statistics, police in Port Alberni believe a particularly bad batch of heroin is currently circulating through the community, after a rash of overdose calls have been coming in during the past 2 days.
Lapointe said the unpredictable potency and content of drugs remains the biggest problem, as illicit drugs are often laced with varying amounts of deadly opioid derivatives fentanyl and carfentanyl.