A death review panel with the BC Coroners Service is demanding more funds be allocated to safer drug supply after another month of lives being lost to the toxic drug crisis.
This panel was brought together in December of last year to bring forward recommendations for BC’s government in order to drive down the number of deaths that continue to occur every month from toxic drugs.
“This report is the result of a tremendous amount of collaboration and problem solving,” said Michael Egilson, panel chair.
“The experts on the panel were thoughtful, committed and practical in identifying an approach that we feel can guide future efforts to expand access to viable alternatives to an illicit supply of substances that is only increasing in volatility and toxicity.”
“Our goal was to demonstrate a way forward that reflects a sense of urgency that is commensurate with the scale of the crisis — a way that can be rolled out quickly in order to save lives now. I believe this report accomplishes just that,” he added.
This panel came to the conclusion that in the short-term, creating access to an accessible and regulated supply of drugs is the first step to averting further deaths.
Right now, safer supply endeavours only really help those with an opioid-use disorder from within the medical system.
The panel does not think this helps the majority of substance-users.
They believe that as many as 225,000 British Columbians are estimated to use these substances while fewer than 5,000 per month have access to safer supply prescriptions.
Based on this, the panel’s recommendations are that the BC government does as follows:
- Immediately begin taking steps to apply to the federal government for an exemption, allowing people without a prescription access to opioid and stimulant drugs if they are at risk of dying
- Developing an application for agencies to apply for a licence and authority to distribute the regulated substances on a non-prescription basis
- Engaging with people who have lived experience of substance use and their family/caregivers to ensure the needs of people most at risk of dying are met
- Further funding, supporting and engaging with Indigenous communities to identify solutions to the crisis
This panel also recognized that there is concern regarding public health and safety surrounding matters of drug-use and safer supply; however, their recommendations do advocate for a system of checks and balances, ensuring that the goals of the program are met and that public concerns are addressed.
Related:
- BC releases new rules on where drugs can be consumed in public spaces
- BC recriminalizes the decriminalized with new drug-use legislation
“I extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to the panel members for this comprehensive, thoughtful and thorough report,” said Lisa Lapointe, BC’s Chief Coroner.
“It reflects the panel’s recognition of the need for an urgent and dedicated response to a serious and on-going public health and safety risk. The drug-toxicity public-health emergency is now in its eighth year and the devastating death toll in communities across the province continues to grow.”
She acknowledged that safer supply as a method of saving lives amongst substance-users may be a hard concept to understand for some, but this recommendation comes from experts who know what they are talking about and have dedicated their lives to averting deaths from overdose.
“It is clear that safer supply is only one piece in a necessary continuum of care for British Columbians at serious risk of death. While that continuum of care is being developed, thousands more of our family members, friends and colleagues are at risk of dying,” Lapointe said.
“As the panel found, urgent access to a safe alternative to the current toxic, unregulated and ever-growing illicit drug market is necessary to keep people alive,” she concluded.
This report was released the same day as the September drug death numbers were released by the BC Coroners Service.
In September, 175 people in BC died from toxic drug supply, 15 of them being in Greater Victoria.
So far in 2023, 118 people have died in Greater Victoria and an additional 89 people have lost their lives in Nanaimo from toxic drugs.
