British Columbia’s premier continues to defend the three-year pilot program underway in his province that decriminalized personal possession of hard drugs, even as the federal government sends its responsible minister to discuss growing concerns and controversies.
David Eby faces growing public frustration over open drug use and hospital safety, as critics of all stripes question his government’s planning and response to the complications of decriminalization.
CTV News noted that Eby is grappling with the fallout from the policy, which was championed and pushed by his predecessor, John Horgan, and asked him how long he would maintain a measure that was not particularly well planned and is now stalled. with.
“It is an incredibly challenging topic. We’re trying to keep people alive, give them initial treatment. This year alone we have opened hundreds of new treatment beds,” Eby responded. “We have tried to put in place a system that recognizes some of the impacts we have seen from the current toxic drug crisis we find ourselves in, including public drug use by some people, and we are not going to let that slide. “
Minister downplays federal scrutiny
CTV News asked British Columbia Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Jennifer Whiteside about a meeting Eby revealed would take place with her federal counterpart, which she downplayed.
“My understanding is that (the federal minister) is coming to town next week,” Whiteside said, suggesting there is nothing unusual about next week’s discussions.
Federal Mental Health and Addictions Minister Ya’ara Saks’ office confirmed she will be coming to British Columbia to speak with her provincial counterpart and police representatives.
“We have indicated from the beginning that BC’s exemption (to federal drug laws) would be rigorously monitored and evaluated,” especially highlighting safety concerns for healthcare workers exposed during hospital drug use.
The full context behind VPD’s testimony
Saks’ trip to the West Coast will come on the heels of much-discussed testimony by some of British Columbia’s top police officials at a parliamentary committee looking into “decrime,” as it is often called.
The official opposition and opponents of the program have seized on Deputy Chief Fiona Wilson’s testimony that half of the hydromorphone pills found by Vancouver police are safe supplies prescribed to drug users and diverted to street dealers. https://bc.ctvnews.ca/safe-supply-vancouver-police-deputy-chief-says-large-amounts-of-opioids-being-diverted-1.6850520
While that development has drawn considerable attention, particularly in the wake of the attorney general’s insistence that there is no evidence of widespread diversion, Wilson repeatedly told lawmakers that is not his primary concern.
“(People) aren’t dying from diverted prescription drugs, they’re dying from fentanyl, coke, methamphetamine,” said the veteran officer, who is also president of the British Columbia Police Chiefs. “Diversion is a big issue, it’s something we’re watching very closely, but we know from the coroner’s data that that’s not what’s killing people in British Columbia.”
Wilson went on to explain that counterfeit pills that can be produced in mass quantities and look like pharmaceutical-grade prescription medications pose a large-scale, life-threatening problem, and that’s where his officers are focusing their attention.
“(The diversion) pales in comparison to what organized crime is doing in terms of production, import and export of fentanyl,” he said, also testifying that planning for decriminalization has been insufficient and that “all the concerns we had were addressed.” have come true.”