VANCOUVER — Decriminalization of people with small amounts of illegal drugs for their own use has become a reality in British Columbia, but substance users and researchers say the change is expected to make little immediate difference because of a to
The policy shift began Tuesday as the B.C. Coroners Service announced that suspected drug toxicity claimed 2,272 lives in 2022, the second highest in the province over a calendar year, trailing 2021 when 2,306 fatalities were recorded. An average of six people died every day last year.
"They'll cut their cocaine for five minutes, then they'll cut their fentanyl on the same scale and all of a sudden there's fentanyl on the cocaine. And when somebody who's never done opioids at all gets the one that had a little bit of fentanyl, they're dead," Wilson said. Take-home fentanyl test strips are also available there and at designated sites to allow people to test their drugs within seconds.
Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe said Tuesday that a safer drug supply is urgently needed along with many other harm-reduction measures in recognition that this is a"people-centred crisis." They say decriminalization requires adequate supports so people get the help they need when they ask for it. They include information on contacting new"substance-use navigators" hired by health authorities specifically to build connections with local service providers and connect people referred by police, Whiteside said.
Federal Mental Health and Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett said the plan is to move people away from the criminal justice system to health and social services so such programs will need to be ramped up. Bennett noted that one project in Vancouver, where a small number of drug users are prescribed powdered fentanyl, could be promising as part of an increased, regulated supply for more people.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
What to know about B.C. decriminalizing possession of drugs for personal useVANCOUVER — British Columbia is introducing a policy of decriminalization on Tuesday as part of what it says is an overall plan to prevent overdose deaths
Read more »
'Dangerous' to think B.C.'s decriminalization plan will reduce OD deaths: researcherVANCOUVER — Decriminalization of people with small amounts of illegal drugs for their own use has become a reality in British Columbia, but substance users and…
Read more »
By the numbers for British Columbia's overdose crisisBritish Columbia's chief coroner released overdose figures for 2022, showing 2,272 residents died from toxic drugs last year.
Read more »
Vancouver school to drop name of British military commander linked to Boer War, other atrocitiesA Vancouver elementary school is dropping the name of a British lord linked to atrocities in the Boer War and elsewhere.
Read more »
B.C.’s drug decriminalization experiment is about to begin — and other jurisdictions are watchingB.C. will begin a three-year decriminalization experiment, allowing drug users 18 and over to carry up to 2.5 grams of opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA. It’s an experiment that’s likely to influence drug policy across Canada.
Read more »
B.C. to begin drug decriminalization Tuesday as province says services ramped upThis comes after a federal exemption to allow substance users to possess a total of 2.5 grams of opioids like heroin and fentanyl, as well as crack and powder…
Read more »