B.C. drug deaths up dramatically

VANCOUVER — British Columbia’s chief coroner says drug overdoses have become the leading cause of unnatural death in the province, outpacing fatalities from vehicle crashes.

A new report identifies 308 illicit drug overdose deaths from January through May of this year, compared with 176 deaths in the same period last year.

Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe says that overdose deaths could amount to 750 people by the end of 2016 if the trend continues.

There were 300 fatalities from motor vehicle incidents in the province in 2015.

The coroner’s report shows fentanyl was involved in 56 per cent of deaths in the first four months of this year but just five per cent of deaths were linked to the drug in 2012.

Nurses’ fears eased on assisted dying

VANCOUVER — British Columbia’s college of nurses says it will revise its directive to members after the criminal justice branch said it wouldn’t prosecute nurses who help in the assisted-dying process.

The College of Registered Nurses of B.C. had been telling members to avoid taking part or discussing the topic with patients, because it was unclear if they were protected legally.

Assisted-dying legislation is before the Senate, but the Supreme Court’s deadline striking down the ban on assisted death passed on Monday, allowing people to ask for a doctor’s help to die.

The high court’s judgment protects doctors, but nurses and pharmacists are not explicitly mentioned in the ruling.

A statement from the college says new guidelines from prosecutors regarding involvement of nurses in assisted dying say there’s no substantial likelihood of conviction if the conditions of the law are met.

Woman dead after pit bull attack

MONTREAL — A Montreal man who came home only to see a dog attacking his neighbour’s lifeless body said it was clear he’d arrived too late.

Farid Benzenati arrived home from work at around 5 p.m. on Wednesday and noticed what appeared to be a pit bull playing with what he called “a large object” in the next backyard.

When he took a closer look, it was clear to him the object was a woman’s body.

“I yelled her name,” Benzenati said Thursday. “I saw blood, and the dog was still attacking her.”

Benzenati called police but said it was clearly too late to help the 55year-old woman, who was later pronounced dead on the scene.

Montreal police Const. Benoit Boisselle said authorities are awaiting the results of an autopsy. Although the victim had several bite marks on her body, Boisselle said it could take a few days before the cause of death is determined.