What the article actually says: The increase in drug usage (and therefore deaths) is largely because of the stresses caused by the Covid pandemic.
Not to mention: The headline is just plain false. It claims the number of deaths this year from drugs is 1204. The number of Covid deaths in BC this year? 1973.
http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19...
Covid deniers (see submitters' comment history) would be hilarious if they weren't so dangerous.