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Legally-regulated heroin sales is the next step required to reduce the impressive number of overdose deaths in British Columbia, says a new report – the majority of which is due to illicit fentanyl.
The report, released Thursday by the BC Center on Substance Use, includes findings from public health researchers, addiction specialists, and people experienced in substance use and recovery.
Evan Wood, executive director of the Vancouver-based center, told reporters that fentanyl poisoning, money laundering on the housing market, and organized crime "scare" the province.
"As a drug addiction physician and someone who has spent my entire career studying drug addiction issues, I believe the only way to better prevent and treat opioid addiction is to to wage an economic war against organized crime and to regulate and control the heroin market. Said Wood.
Nearly 3,000 people died of overdoses of illicit drugs in British Columbia. since 2017, with about 80% illicit fentanyl.
The report recommends that the province create "compbadionate heroin clubs," which would give fentanyl addicts access to non adulterated fentanyl heroin. These clubs would be located in treatment facilities.
Revenue from sales would be redirected internally to provide access and support to the most vulnerable.
The provincial health officer and BC's Chief Coroner both called on the federal government to allow the province to offer legal heroin access earlier this month.
The federal government has repeatedly stated that there is no plan to decriminalize hard drugs in response to overdose deaths.
@ashwadhwani
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