Prescribed safe supply not significant factor in overdose deaths says province 

The B.C. government says prescribed safe supply drugs such as hydromorphone can’t be attributed to more overdose deaths.

Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe said fentanyl continues to be the driving force.

“To date, neither hydromorphone nor xylazine are present in any significant numbers. Fentanyl remains the main and most consistent and deadly driver of this public health emergency.”

The province’s prescribed safer supply policy offers alternative versions of drugs through PharmaCare instead of tainted street supplies.

B.C. representative for children and youth Jennifer Charlesworth said claims that this program is adding to the number of deaths is unfounded and causing harm.

“When public policy is being driven by fear, by polarized opinions and anecdotes it actually causes harm,” she said.

“It takes us away from understanding what’s giving rise to young people taking substances in the first place. Young people are telling us they are often using it to numb emotional pain.”

She said public policy needs to be a collaborative approach to find solutions.

“It’s important that we collectively work together to say please don’t believe everything that’s written and come back to take a look at what the data tells us, what young people or people with lived experience tell us and what do the clinicians tell us. Let’s weave that together in such a way that we’re actually making sound public policy.”

Since a public health emergency was declared in 2016 due to the overdose crisis, more than 12,000 British Columbians have died.

Death due to drug toxicity remains the leading cause of unnatural death in British Columbia. On average, six people die every day in B.C. from toxic drugs.

Continue Reading

chnv Now playing play

ckkc Now playing play

- Advertisement -

Related Articles

- Advertisement -

Latest News

Mount Sentinel graduate Phoenix Allen Named 2025 Schulich Leader

Mount Sentinel Secondary School (MSS) graduate Phoenix Allen has been named a 2025 Schulich Leader, securing a $100,000 scholarship to study math at Queens University.

Stage 2 water conservation measures in effect for the Duhamel Water System

Resident on the Duhamel Water System in Electoral Area F are being move to Stage 2 water conservations measures effective immediately.

Public hearing into Nelson Police misconduct

A public hearing has been called to probe possible misconduct by three current and three former Nelson City Police officers.

Nelson’s Government Road isn’t a dumping ground

There’s been an increase in dumping in Nelson, which the City warns is not only illegal, but unhelpful and costly. 

Canada Infrastructure Bank backs B.C. Ferries’ China-built vessels with $1B loan

The Canada Infrastructure Bank is providing B.C. Ferries an additional $1 billion in low-interest loans to support service upgrades – including the purchase of four new vessels from a Chinese shipyard.
- Advertisement -