Yukon's chief coroner orders inquest into drug-related deaths of 2 women - Action News
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Yukon's chief coroner orders inquest into drug-related deaths of 2 women

Yukon's chief coroner, Heather Jones, has ordered an inquest into the drug-related deaths of two women in Whitehorse earlier this year.Myranda Tizya-Charlie, 34, and Cassandra Warville, 35, died on Jan. 19at the Whitehorse emergency shelter.

Myranda Tizya-Charlie, 34, and Cassandra Warville, 35, died earlier this yearat Whitehorse emergency shelter

A photo of Myranda Tizya-Charlie, one of the two women for whom Yukon's chief coroner has called for an inquest. Tizya-Charlie and Cassandra Warville died in January. Their deaths were related to toxic illicit drugs, the chief coroner says. (Anna Desmarais/CBC)

Yukon's chief coroner, Heather Jones, has ordered an inquest into the drug-related deaths of two women in Whitehorse earlier this year.

Myranda Tizya-Charlie, 34, and Cassandra Warville, 35, died on Jan. 19at the Whitehorse emergency shelter.

In a news release on Friday, the chief coroner's office said both deaths "were found to be the result of toxic illicit drugs."

The releasestatesthat the time, date and place for the inquest will be fixed after the chief coroner appoints a presiding coroner.

17 people died from using toxic, illicit drugs so far in 2022

In a separate news release on Friday, the chief coroner's office said the Yukon continues to lead the country in deaths per capita caused by the use of toxic, illicit drugs.

Seventeenpeople in the territory died from toxic, illicit drugs so far in 2022.

"Opioids in the form of fentanyl continue to be present in the majority of the fatalities," statesthe news release.

The Yukon's rate of apparent opioids toxicity deaths in 2021 was 53.5 per 100,000, the highest rate in the country. B.C. was second with a rate of 43.4 and Alberta was third with a rate of 36.4. (Statistics Canada)

Last year, 25 people in Yukon died from opioid-related deaths.

They represented 33 per cent of all cases investigated by the Yukon's coroner's office.

Of the 17 deaths this year, 14 happened in Whitehorse, and 12 were First Nations citizens. Fentanylwasinvolved in 14 cases, while benzodiazapines, or "benzos," were confirmed in six cases.

Decriminalizing small quantities of hard drugs

Last month, Health and Social Services Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee said the territorial government is considering decriminalizing small quantities of hard drugs, following in the footsteps of B.C., where the measure was introduced in May.

In the news release, Jones said she is in favour of the measure.

"[It] acknowledges substance use to be a medical issue rather than increasing stigmatization through criminalization," she said.

Jones added her office also "strongly advocates a means of providing access to a safe drug supply as we continue to see the impact of each lost life."

Written by Michel Proulx