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An advocate for drug users says a B.C. The government’s commitment to funding more overdose prevention sites is welcome, as the source of illicit drugs has become more toxic to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In September, others from all over British Columbia come together to communicate what they think. You deserve to sign up for them.
But there is no guarantee that efforts will reduce rising mortality rates without a similar effort to expand origin programs, said Jordan Westfall, co-founder of the Canadian Safe Supply Association in Tyee.
“We will see an unpredictable illicit source unless the province makes the decision to introduce more opportunities and expand those opportunities,” Westfall said.
The B.C. The announcement announced a $10.5 million investment for 17 new supervised injecting drug use sites and 12 new inhalation sites “in communities hardest hit by the overdose crisis.”
The investment will also be used to expand into “safe prescription opportunities for others at higher risk of overdose.”
“There are very few places where users can smoke drugs, so the province is adding inhalation services,” Westfall said.
The overdose mortality rate in British Columbia increased in 2016 and 2017, but fell in 2018 and 2019. This minimum is partly due to measures such as overdose prevention sites, where drug users use drugs in the presence of staff or volunteers suffering from an overdose.
But this progress was lost as the COVID-19 pandemic progressed, with some facilities reduced or closed, more people alone and the source of medicines becoming increasingly toxic.
In May, another 171 people in British Columbia died of an overdose and in June, another 175 people died. Both months broke record records for overdose deaths in British Columbia.
Dr. Mark Lysyshyn, Deputy Medical Director of Health at Vancouver Coastal Health, said drug verification and B.C. Reports. The Forensics Service shows higher levels of fentanyl in illicit drugs. Fentanyl is also provided in drugs such as methamphetamine and cocaine, a particularly harmful mixture because other people who use these stimulant drugs do not expect them to involve an opioid like fentanyl.
Westfall also said it is positive for the province to increase inhalation services, as lately there are very few places where users can smoke drugs.
Westfall said some overdose prevention sites, such as Molson Overdose Prevention at Downtown Eastside, are leading the way by combining a source with overdose prevention. (A site-based program prescribes hydromorphone tablets, an opioid).
But Westfall said hydromorphone tablets don’t work for everyone and there’s an injectable option.
Westfall is asking for a prescription heroin program.
Guy Felicella, a former drug user who now works with the BC Center for Substance Use as a peer clinician, said having better access to drug materials and expanding the types of drugs available for those prescriptions deserve to be the number one priority. right now.
“The normal [advice] to slowly approve, not use alone, send naloxone and use PAHO does not pass enough,” Felicella said.
“What if you are going to use the infected drug market, check your drugs and here is a supply? It’s such a fatal game.”
Read more: Health, British Columbia Politics
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