Donna Jack wants justice after the death by drug overdose of her son in Duncan on May 27.
Jack said her son, Thomas Jimmy, was smoking what she was told was cannabis laced with a lethal amount of fentanyl when he died instantly.
She said Jimmy would sometimes smoke cannabis, but took no other drugs other than a few coolers from time to time, and likely wasn’t aware he was smoking fentanyl with his cannabis.
Jack said the RCMP have told her that they decided against pressing charges against the person alleged to have supplied the fentanyl-based cannabis to Jimmy.
She said the woman responsible sold Jimmy $5 worth of the laced cannabis, but smoked some of it with him, so the police told her that it wasn’t a criminal offence as a result.
“I’m heartbroken about the loss of my son,” Jack said.
“He was friendly and outgoing and there were 192 people at his funeral, so that gives you an idea of just how popular he was in the community. This person [who supplied the drugs] should be charged and prosecuted for taking the life of my son Thomas.”
Island District RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Chris Manseau couldn’t talk about the particular details of the case as it is still under investigation, but said there was no suggestion of foul play in relation to Jimmy’s death at this stage of the investigation.
But he said the RCMP are still waiting for the final report on the case from the BC Coroner’s Office.
“The death appears to be from a drug overdose, but the coroner’s office will make that final determination,” Manseau said.
“But any new information that comes up in the future could further the investigation so if anyone has any new information, they should give it to the RCMP.”
Jimmy is one of hundreds of British Columbians who have died of drug overdoses this year. In a report released Tuesday, June 29, the BC Coroners Service said there were 160 drug overdose deaths in the province in May alone. Fentanyl and carfentanil, an even stronger variant, have been involved in the lion’s share of these deaths.
“More than five years into this public health emergency, we continue to lose our loved ones, friends and neighbours at an almost unimaginable rate,” said Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner, BC Coroners Service. “There is no way to measure the catastrophic impact that the loss of these lives have had on every community in our province. Today, I grieve with all those who have lost someone close to them as a result of this crisis.”
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