No evidence of widespread diversion of B.C. safe-supply drugs

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There isn’t any proof of widespread diversion of safe-supply medication, British Columbia’s solicitor common and the RCMP stated Monday, after Federal Opposition Chief Pierre Poilievre and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith cited a current drug seizure to criticize the province’s program.

Mike Farnworth informed reporters he had spoken to the RCMP’s commanding officer in B.C. concerning the seizure in Prince George and was informed the concept that there’s widespread diversion is “merely not true.”

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A subsequent assertion attributed to John Brewer, assistant commissioner with the B.C. RCMP, echoed Farnworth’s remarks.

Farnworth, who can also be B.C.’s public security minister, stated Smith and Poilievre shouldn’t have made claims concerning the seizure with out ready for all the knowledge.

RCMP in Prince George stated final week {that a} current seizure of hundreds of tablets included morphine and hydromorphone, two medication which can be a part of B.C.’s program providing prescription alternate options to folks susceptible to overdose from consuming poisonous avenue medication.

Farnworth stated “some however not all” of the medication seized in Prince George and in one other investigation in Campbell River have been from the safe-supply program.

Smith stated on Friday she was involved that diverted safe-supply medication from B.C. could find yourself being trafficked to Alberta, whereas Poilievre pledged to scrap the provincial program if he turns into prime minister.

Farnworth stated in a hallway of the legislature that each politicians ought to have waited for extra particulars.

“Basing your statements on one single information report with out ready for all the knowledge just isn’t the … proper method to go about issues,” he stated.

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He alluded to the opportunity of prescription tablet counterfeiting, saying felony organizations have been “extraordinarily refined when it comes to how they will make issues look.”

In response to a request for particulars on whether or not any of the tablets seized in Prince George had originated from the safe-supply program, RCMP Workers Sgt. Kris Clark despatched an electronic mail saying police wouldn’t present additional data.

Within the RCMP information launch final week, Cpl. Jennifer Cooper stated police had observed “an alarming pattern during the last yr,” uncovering growing quantities of pharmaceuticals in trafficking investigations.

The tablets are getting used as a type of forex to buy stronger, illicit avenue medication, she added.

Cooper additionally stated, “organized crime teams are actively concerned within the redistribution of protected provide and pharmaceuticals,” a few of that are resold exterior B.C.

However assistant commissioner Brewer stated in his assertion Monday that “there’s at the moment no proof to assist a widespread diversion of safer provide medication within the illicit market in B.C. or Canada.”

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Whereas current investigations have resulted in police seizing “notable portions” of medication, together with prescription opioids, confirmed safer-supply prescriptions are discovered within the minority of instances, the assertion stated.

“We’ve elevated consciousness to our law enforcement officials so as to higher determine instances the place safer provide medication could also be current inside their investigations,” it added.

‘We wish to hold folks protected’: B.C. premier

Earlier Monday, Premier David Eby stated he had spoken to Smith about her considerations and he “made a dedication” that B.C. officers are “glad to fulfill together with her to obtain any data or proof that they’ve of diversion.”

When Eby was requested about Poilievre’s remark over the weekend, the premier stated he was reluctant to take a position concerning the actions of future governments, however added the path is obvious for B.C. and it was conserving folks alive.

There’s all the time a danger that prescription medicines could possibly be diverted to folks they’re not supposed for, Eby stated throughout an unrelated information convention.

Nearly all of hydromorphone prescribed in B.C. is prescribed for ache, he stated.

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“It doesn’t matter the supply of the diversion. If there’s diversion from British Columbia, from a pharmacy, from people, we wish to handle that situation,” Eby stated.

“We wish to hold folks protected, and we would like guarantee that we’re addressing the poisonous drug disaster.”

The purpose of B.C.’s safe-supply program is to “get folks away from the poisonous medication on the road, to get between them and predatory drug sellers, with a health-care skilled … to maintain them alive to allow them to get into therapy,” Eby stated.

He stated he hears from dependancy medical doctors that they discover this system efficient to maintain folks alive, interact with them, and get them into therapy.

“That doesn’t imply that we’d settle for diversion of those medication that might put different communities or different people in danger,” Eby stated.

Provincial well being officer Dr. Bonnie Henry launched a evaluate of B.C.’s safe-supply program in December, discovering some shoppers reported diverting hydromorphone “to acquire fentanyl or different substances that adequately handle their withdrawal and cravings” or to assist others who can’t entry this system.

“The influence of utilizing diverted prescription opioids on folks at present danger of unregulated drug poisoning stays unclear,” the report stated.

Anecdotal reviews counsel youth could also be accessing the diverted medication, however present B.C. knowledge doesn’t point out a rise in opioid-use dysfunction amongst them, the report stated.

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed March 11, 2024.

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