These 5 myths about B.C.'s toxic drug crisis are hurting efforts to stop the deaths, say experts

In the five years and 10 months since B.C. declared a public health emergency because of drug-related deaths, the problem has only gotten worse.

Statistics released by the B.C. Coroners Service this week confirmed that 2,224 lives were lost in 2021, making it the deadliest year on record.

Advocates argue part of the problem is that many people with the power to make a difference are relying on outdated or incorrect ideas.

"People don't want to actually confront some serious realities here, and so these comforting lies are embraced in many ways. It's horrible because it prevents all of us from actually addressing this in a real way," said Karen Ward, a drug policy consultant with the City of Vancouver.

To get a better handle on some of the misconceptions, CBC spoke to experts who are experiencing the crisis from three different viewpoints: Leslie McBain, co-founder of Moms Stop the Harm, chief coroner Lisa LaPointe, and Ward.

Here are five of the most common myths they've encountered.

These shorthands for the emergency have only become less accurate as the years wear on. 

"People are actually trying to find opioids," Ward said. "The problem is that they're getting basically unknown substances."

If people don't know what they're taking, the word "overdose" — which implies someone has simply taken too much — hardly captures what's happening.

LaPointe adds that unlike in other parts of North America, B.C.'s crisis has never been about over-prescription of painkillers like oxycodone, and attempts to address the problem by limiting doctors' ability to prescribe opioids have been misguided at best.

The latest statistics from the coroner show a mishmash of drugs linked to deaths in B.C., with fentanyl and analogues like carfentanil detected in 91 per cent of fatal doses in December, and stimulants like methamphetamine and cocaine in 73 per cent

Perhaps most alarmingly, benzodiazepines were found in half of the samples, up from just 15 per cent in July 2020.

There could be some serious consequences as a result. For one thing, benzodiazepines are highly addictive, LaPointe notes.

"Withdrawing from opioids is difficult but it's nothing compared to withdrawing from benzodiazepines," she said.