Close X
Monday, November 25, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. coroner wants action on safer drug supply

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 12 Apr, 2022 02:45 PM
  • B.C. coroner wants action on safer drug supply

VANCOUVER - British Columbia's coroner says over 9,400 people in the province have died of an overdose from toxic illicit drugs since the government declared a public health emergency six years ago.

Lisa Lapointe says urgent action is needed to decriminalize small amounts of drugs for personal use and to provide more people with a safer supply of substances that would replace the profit-driven illicit market.

Lapointe says she understands that the concept of a safer drug supply is difficult for some people to understand, given decades of a punitive, enforcement-based approach to substance use, but more people will die without a regulated source of drugs in every part of the province.

She says an average of six people die every day in B.C., with most of the fatalities occurring in Vancouver, Surrey and Victoria.

Lapointe released a report in March calling on the province to develop a policy to distribute a safer supply of drugs with a plan that would see action taken over 30, 60 and 90 says.

Mental Health and Addictions Minister Sheila Malcolmson says she could not immediately provide details on how many people are accessing a safer supply of drugs, but it's been particularly challenging to recruit and retain nurse practitioners and doctors to prescribe substitute medications in the region covered by the Northern Health authority.

The coroner also said preliminary data shows at least 174 people died in February from overdoses.

"The deaths of another 174 B.C. residents, so many of them young and middle-aged men with years of life ahead of them, is yet another reminder that urgent action is needed on a provincewide scale," Lapointe said in a statement.

MORE National ARTICLES

Mass timber funding for B.C. university projects

Mass timber funding for B.C. university projects
Ravi Kahlon, minister of jobs, economic recovery and innovation, says the university is among those to get $1.2 million in funding that will be used to help build a 783-bed housing and dining facility set to open in September.

Mass timber funding for B.C. university projects

B.C. moves to weekly COVID-19 reporting

B.C. moves to weekly COVID-19 reporting
A Health Ministry bulletin says the weekly reports will focus on identifying meaningful changes in key COVID-19 measurements and trends over time. It also says that reporting on deaths is changing to count all deaths that occurred within 30 days of the person's positive lab result, regardless of whether the underlying cause of death was found to be linked to COVID-19.

B.C. moves to weekly COVID-19 reporting

Darpan 10 with Kevin Falcon, Leader of the BC Liberals

Darpan 10 with Kevin Falcon, Leader of the BC Liberals
Kevin Falcon, the leader of the BC Liberals is back into the political arena after a decade long hiatus. Find out more on his perspective regarding affordability, housing, vision for his party and much more. 

Darpan 10 with Kevin Falcon, Leader of the BC Liberals

Woman assaulted and held against her will in a moving vehicle

Woman assaulted and held against her will in a moving vehicle
The passenger in the vehicle, who was the victim of this alleged assault, was actively trying to exit the vehicle, and get the attention of other motorists by using hand signals and calling out for help. The victim is described as having short dark hair and wearing a red sweatshirt, black jacket, and blue jeans at the time of the assault.

Woman assaulted and held against her will in a moving vehicle

New rules for convicted elected officials in B.C.

New rules for convicted elected officials in B.C.
A statement from the ministry says the legislative changes will give municipalities and regional districts two separate but related options when a politician is either charged with or found guilty of a criminal offence.

New rules for convicted elected officials in B.C.

Drug users roll up sleeves for COVID vaccines

Drug users roll up sleeves for COVID vaccines
Karen Ward said a study that showed high vaccine uptake in the neighbourhood also suggests a co-ordinated strategy can work with a marginalized group that sometimes faces discrimination in the health-care system.

Drug users roll up sleeves for COVID vaccines