THE SIGNAL
Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death for people ages 10 to 59 in British Columbia after the Canadian province decriminalized several hard drugs.Deaths from illegal drugs are now higher than homicides, suicides, accidents, and natural disease combined, British Columbia’s Public Safety and Solicitor General Ministry said Monday in a press release.From January to May this year, 1,018 British Columbians died from drug overdoses, a 2.9% increase over that period last year. At least 12,264 British Columbians have died from illegal drugs since April, 2016, according to the ministry.In January, British Columbia became the first Canadian province to decriminalize fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and morphine.The British Columbia government pro …