opioid crisis

Chief Public Health Officer of Canada Dr. Theresa Tam speaks during a news conference on the COVID-19 pandemic on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Friday, Aug. 21, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Talks needed on decriminalizing hard drugs to address opioid crisis, Tam says

Recent data shows a major spike in the number of people dying from toxic illicit drugs due to the pandemic

Chief Public Health Officer of Canada Dr. Theresa Tam speaks during a news conference on the COVID-19 pandemic on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Friday, Aug. 21, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Flora Cannabis is located at 201 – 3710 Hoskins Road in West Kelowna, B.C. (Contributed)

Cannabis could be a useful form of harm reduction for addicted youth, B.C. study reveals

Findings come as B.C. is seeing its worst stretch in history for fatal overdoses

Flora Cannabis is located at 201 – 3710 Hoskins Road in West Kelowna, B.C. (Contributed)
Surrey City Councillor Laurie Guerra. (File photo)

Surrey councillor asks if CERB playing a role in drug overdoses

Laurie Guerra says drug rehab manager told her CERB is ‘probably one of the worst things’ for recovering addicts

Surrey City Councillor Laurie Guerra. (File photo)
Premier John Horgan (The Canadian Press)

B.C. premier asks Trudeau to decriminalize illicit drug possession as deaths climb

A record 175 people died in June of illicit-drug overdoses

Premier John Horgan (The Canadian Press)
Fentanyl (The Canadian Press)

Canadian policing organization calls for decriminalization of simple illicit drug possession

Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police want policing focus of opioid crisis to be replaced with a health one

Fentanyl (The Canadian Press)
B.C. has recorded an uptick in overdose deaths in March 2020. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward)

B.C. sees 60% more overdose deaths in March compared to first two months of 2020

That equates to roughly seven British Columbians dying every two days

B.C. has recorded an uptick in overdose deaths in March 2020. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward)
B.C. Mental Health and Addictions Minister Judy Darcy speaks to reporters at the B.C. legislature, Feb. 24, 2020. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)

COLUMN: Helping those who use substances during the COVID-19 pandemic

B.C. Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Judy Darcy talks about both public health emergencies

  • Apr 18, 2020
B.C. Mental Health and Addictions Minister Judy Darcy speaks to reporters at the B.C. legislature, Feb. 24, 2020. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)
BC Centre for Disease Control naloxone kit. (Darryl Dick/The Canadian Press)

As B.C. grapples with pandemic, top doctor marks grim anniversary of overdose crisis

Dr. Henry said the stigma associated with addiction, the challenges with getting help remained top of mind

BC Centre for Disease Control naloxone kit. (Darryl Dick/The Canadian Press)
Brad Pommen, president of SMRT1 Technologies, shows off a new vending machine at ANKORS in Nelson that carries items such as naloxone and syringes. Photo: Tyler Harper

VIDEO: Unique vending machine offering syringes, naloxone coming to B.C. cities

The machine is the invention of Nelson’s SMRT1 Technologies

Brad Pommen, president of SMRT1 Technologies, shows off a new vending machine at ANKORS in Nelson that carries items such as naloxone and syringes. Photo: Tyler Harper
B.C. Mental Health and Addictions Minister Judy Darcy speaks to reporters at the B.C. legislature, Feb. 24, 2020. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)

Prescription opioids getting B.C. addicts off ‘poisoned’ street drugs

Minister Judy Darcy says Abbotsford pilot project working

B.C. Mental Health and Addictions Minister Judy Darcy speaks to reporters at the B.C. legislature, Feb. 24, 2020. (Tom Fletcher/Black Press)
VIDEO: Illicit drug overdoses killed 981 in B.C. in 2019, down 38%

VIDEO: Illicit drug overdoses killed 981 in B.C. in 2019, down 38%

Chief coroner says figures were down about a third in the province’s fourth year of the opioid crisis

VIDEO: Illicit drug overdoses killed 981 in B.C. in 2019, down 38%
Canada’s Governor General Julie Payette met at a fire hall in downtown Vancouver on Feb. 22, 2020, with firefighters and police officers as well as officials including Mayor Kennedy Stewart. (The Canadian Press photo)

Governor general says multiple solutions needed for ‘complicated’ overdose issue

Julie Payette met at a fire hall with firefighters and police officers as well as politicians and health experts

Canada’s Governor General Julie Payette met at a fire hall in downtown Vancouver on Feb. 22, 2020, with firefighters and police officers as well as officials including Mayor Kennedy Stewart. (The Canadian Press photo)
Photos of Elliot Eurchuk at different stages of his short life. The Oak Bay teen died of a fentanyl overdose in April 2018. (Black Press Media file photo)

Coroner emphasizes jury’s recommendations in B.C. teen’s overdose death

16-year-old Elliot Eurchuk died of a fentanyl overdose in 2018

Photos of Elliot Eurchuk at different stages of his short life. The Oak Bay teen died of a fentanyl overdose in April 2018. (Black Press Media file photo)
Corey Ranger holds up his naloxone kit, something he always carries around. Having the product and training on hand has helped him save three lives since moving to Victoria in April. (File Contributed/ Corey Ranger)

Victoria nurse urges compassion after being confronted while saving overdose victim

RN has saved three people’s lives in eight months

Corey Ranger holds up his naloxone kit, something he always carries around. Having the product and training on hand has helped him save three lives since moving to Victoria in April. (File Contributed/ Corey Ranger)
Langley businesses asked to host overdose awareness lunches

Langley businesses asked to host overdose awareness lunches

A local committee is trying to tackle the overdose crisis.

Langley businesses asked to host overdose awareness lunches
Skittles is beleived to be a Shih tzu/pug/ Jack Russell cross whose life was saved when a vet gave him Naloxone. (Facebook/ Victoria Humane Society)

Vet saves Victoria puppy with naloxone injection

The puppy is now up for adoption through the Victoria Humane Society

Skittles is beleived to be a Shih tzu/pug/ Jack Russell cross whose life was saved when a vet gave him Naloxone. (Facebook/ Victoria Humane Society)
A screenshot from the Nal-Pal app shows what it would look like if a person in distress called for help. (File contributed/Derek Jacoby)

B.C. university to launch app to link drug users with Naloxone kits

Researchers have spent the last year developing the Nal-Pal app

A screenshot from the Nal-Pal app shows what it would look like if a person in distress called for help. (File contributed/Derek Jacoby)
B.C. Representative for Children and Youth Jennifer Charlesworth (Black Press files)

Drug-related deaths double for B.C. youth in care, advocate says

Teens say positive connections with adults key to recovery

B.C. Representative for Children and Youth Jennifer Charlesworth (Black Press files)
Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, law professor at UBC and former B.C. representative for children and youth, adds her voice to the call for a coroner’s inquest into the death of Elliot Eurchuk. (Submitted)

Call gets louder for coroner’s inquest into B.C. teen’s overdose death

Former B.C. representative for children and youth weighs in with her support

Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, law professor at UBC and former B.C. representative for children and youth, adds her voice to the call for a coroner’s inquest into the death of Elliot Eurchuk. (Submitted)
The BC Nurses Union wants the federal government to decriminalize opioids. As front line workers, like paramedics and firefighters, they see the effects illicit drugs are having on a growing number of people. File photo.

BC Nurses Union calls for decriminalization of opioids

BCNU president wants the federal government to do more to reduce preventable deaths

The BC Nurses Union wants the federal government to decriminalize opioids. As front line workers, like paramedics and firefighters, they see the effects illicit drugs are having on a growing number of people. File photo.
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