Close X
Sunday, November 10, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. Coroner's death panel recommends issuing drugs without prescription to stop ODs

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 01 Nov, 2023 12:19 PM
  • B.C. Coroner's death panel recommends issuing drugs without prescription to stop ODs

A death review panel from the British Columbia Coroners Service is recommending community groups be allowed to hand out drugs without a prescription in an attempt to stop the relentless overdose death toll. 

The panel's report coincided with the monthly overdose death toll of 175 people in September, which the coroners service says is a 10 per cent drop from the same month a year ago, but still equal to 5.8 deaths a day across B.C. 

Jennifer Whiteside, B.C.'s minister of mental health and addictions, immediately rejected the proposal in a letter to chief coroner Lisa Lapointe, saying a non-prescription model is not being considered and she can't accept the main recommendation.

The report says about 225,000 people in B.C. use unregulated substances but fewer than 5,000 people a month have prescriptions to receive safe-supply drugs.

Michael Egilson, the chair of the Coroners Service death panel review, says in a statement that the report's recommendations reflect the sense of urgency in the province to prevent more overdose deaths.

The panel says the fastest way to reduce deaths is to cut dependence on the unregulated toxic drug supply. 

"A fundamentally different approach is urgently required as incremental increases of existing interventions are unlikely to make a meaningful population difference and people will continue to die at unprecedented rates," the report says. 

"The urgent need for a practical, scalable response to the public health emergency requires pursuit of a non-medical model that provides people who use drugs with an alternative to the unregulated drug market."

The report says such an approach would complement the existing medical model and would be more nimble to meet the unique needs of people in communities that are rural and remote, or that lack the infrastructure needed by medical clinics. 

More than 13,000 people have died since April 2016, when B.C. declared a public health emergency for the overdose crisis as the powerful opioid fentanyl became more common on the streets.

Health Canada granted B.C. an exemption under the Controlled Drugs Act last January to allow people in B.C. to possess small amounts of hard drugs in an effort to reduce the stigma associated with drug use and prevent deaths.

MORE National ARTICLES

Gaza hospital hit, hundreds killed

Gaza hospital hit, hundreds killed
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the bombing of a hospital in Gaza is not legal and is calling the situation "absolutely unacceptable." Trudeau was responding to unfolding reports by the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry that an Israeli airstrike hit a hospital in Gaza City, killing hundreds of Palestinians, including people using the hospital as shelter. 

Gaza hospital hit, hundreds killed

B.C. premier says spat over Surrey police force 'no longer up for discussion'

B.C. premier says spat over Surrey police force 'no longer up for discussion'
Eby says Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke "fought a good fight" in attempting to move the RCMP back to its police force of jurisdiction, but that the decision to move ahead with a municipal force has been made by his government and is no longer up for discussion.

B.C. premier says spat over Surrey police force 'no longer up for discussion'

Israeli woman with Canadian relatives has died: group

Israeli woman with Canadian relatives has died: group
An Israeli woman with Canadian family has died, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs says. The centre says the family of Tiferet Lapidot has asked that the development be shared with the media.   

Israeli woman with Canadian relatives has died: group

Champagne says he wishes grocers were more 'forthcoming' on plans to stabilize prices

Champagne says he wishes grocers were more 'forthcoming' on plans to stabilize prices
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne says he wishes Canadian grocers would be more forthcoming with the public about their plans to stabilize prices. Earlier this month, Champagne announced that major Canadian grocers — Loblaw, Metro, Empire, Walmart and Costco — submitted initial plans to the federal government for how they will stabilize prices in the face of high inflation.

Champagne says he wishes grocers were more 'forthcoming' on plans to stabilize prices

Wind and rainfall warnings for BC

Wind and rainfall warnings for BC
Environment Canada has issued several wind and rainfall warnings as a "potent" fall storm bears down along B-C's coast. The weather office says strong winds with gusts up to 110 kilometres per hour are expected over parts of northern Vancouver Island, the central coast and Haida Gwaii.  

Wind and rainfall warnings for BC

Two B.C. community newspapers publish their last editions this week

Two B.C. community newspapers publish their last editions this week
Two newspapers in British Columbia are publishing their last editions this week, eliminating coverage by community papers for a large swath of the province's northeast. Glacier Media announced it is shutting down both the Dawson Creek Mirror and the Alaska Highway News out of Fort St. John.

Two B.C. community newspapers publish their last editions this week