Preliminary figures from the BC Coroners Service show 109 people died from suspected unregulated drug toxicity in May.

That's about 3.5 deaths a day, and the lowest monthly total recorded since February 2020.

The report says people between the ages of 30 and 59 accounted for 68 percent of drug toxicity deaths during the first five months of the year, while 76 percent of those who died were men.

The highest number of deaths this year has been recorded in the Vancouver Coastal and Fraser health authorities, accounting for more than half of the provincial total.

The Coroners Service says 81-percent of deaths occurred indoors, most often in private homes, supportive housing, shelters, and single-room occupancy buildings.

The report also notes fluorofentanyl was the substance most commonly detected in expedited toxicology testing, and smoking remained the most common method of drug consumption.

The figures are preliminary and could change as investigations and toxicology testing continue.