Toxic drugs claimed the lives of a dozen more Kootenaians over the summer.
The BC Coroners Service says they were among 153 people who died in July and 149 who died in August across the province.
In the West Kootenay-Boundary, seven died in July and one in August, for a total of 24 so far this year. In the East Kootenay, one person died in July and three in August, for a year-to-date total of 12.
Community-by-community monthly totals are not available, but so far this year, Nelson has had nine deaths, Cranbrook has had eight, and Trail has had seven. There have also been three fatalities in each of Castlegar and Grand Forks, two in Fernie and on the Arrow Lakes, and one each in Creston and Golden.
The coroners service said fentanyl and its analogues remain the most common substance detected in toxicological testing, showing up in 70 per cent of cases, followed by cocaine and meth, each found in the systems of 52 per cent of those died. That was virtually unchanged from May and June.
