4953 replies to this topic

[dasmo]

And safe!

[Matt R.]

Oh definitely not. I don’t think anyone believes that, which further illustrates how good they are.

[Mike P.]

I think these modern drugs are just that good.

You mean they f* you up real good 🤪.

Body folded in two, 3 brain cells left after being resurrected for the 15th time....

HUGE, but HUGE cost to taxpayers...

Edited by Mike P., 02 February 2025 - 04:07 PM.

[Matt R.]

The high must be incredible.

[LJ]

I'll never know.

[Mike K.]

2024 overdose death data released:

Reporting from the BC Coroners Service shows the continued impact of unregulated drug toxicity in communities throughout the province in 2024, with 2,253 lives lost last year.

The cumulative number of unregulated drug deaths represents a 13% decrease from the number of deaths in 2023 and is less than the annual figure from any of the previous three years. The rate of death in 2024 was 40 per 100,000 people, compared with 47 per 100,000 in 2023, 45 per 100,000 in 2022 and 44 per 100,000 in 2021.

“The information collected by our coroners during their investigations into unregulated drug toxicity deaths, indicates a decline in fatalities over the last several months of 2024. This is consistent with reporting from other jurisdictions in Canada and internationally,” said Dr. Jatinder Baidwan, chief coroner. “This doesn’t mitigate the fact that 2,253 members of our communities died in 2024, leaving behind grieving loved ones, friends, colleagues and teammates. Our thoughts are with all of those many, many people who have been touched by this crisis.”

In 2024, about seven in every 10 decedents were between the ages of 30 and 59, and nearly three-quarters were male. The rate of death among females in 2024 is 20 per 100,000. This is an increase of 65% from 2020 (13 per 100,000) and a slight reduction from 2023 (21 per 100,000).

As in years prior, the drug-toxicity crisis affected cities of all sizes in 2024. By Local Health Area, the highest rates of death per 100,000 were in Vancouver-Centre North (422), Lillooet (116), Greater Campbell River (109), Terrace (109) and Prince George (103).

Fentanyl and its analogues continue to be the primary driver of unregulated drug toxicity deaths in B.C., detected in 78% of expedited toxicological testing in 2024. Cocaine (52%), fluorofentanyl (46%), methamphetamine (43%) and bromazolam (41%) were the other most common substances detected in expected toxicology. It’s important to note that the data from the report is preliminary and subject to change as additional toxicology results are received and investigations are concluded.

Since the public health emergency was first declared in April 2016, the lives of at least 16,047 people in B.C. have been lost to unregulated drug toxicity.

[Victoria Watcher]

 

[Victoria Watcher]

B.C. investigates ‘significant’ opioid diversion, including international trafficking

 

 

 

B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne, who said the investigative unit was made up of former RCMP officers, confirmed the internal briefing’s authenticity on Wednesday and told reporters in a virtual meeting that it was “disappointing” it was leaked and the investigation potentially compromised.

 

“I want to acknowledge that we know that this is happening,” she said of opioid diversion. “These allegations are here. There’s absolutely no denial of it. There’s no diminishing of it, and there should be no acceptance of it. That’s why we’re taking the actions that we are.”

 

 

 

https://cheknews.ca/...icking-1237572/

 

 

 

It says some pharmacies are alleged to be “offering incentives to clients” with more than 60 pharmacies identified, and that some “community housing staff” require tenants to go to certain pharmacies for their prescriptions.

 

The document says some pharmacies are trying to maximize their dispensing fees by offering incentives. Other participants in the alleged schemes include doctors, assisted living residences and organized criminals, it says.

 

It also includes photos of drugs used in the prescribed alternatives program and in opioid agonist treatments, as well as prescription packaging and items described as “vehicle search results.”

 

 

 

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 06 February 2025 - 10:12 AM.

[lanforod]

Ms. Osborne, the only 'actions' you should be taking is getting rid of the program and its proponents.

Edited by lanforod, 06 February 2025 - 10:50 AM.

[Mike K.]

Last year the NDP said:

 

Widespread safe supply drug diversion in B.C. ‘simply not true’: Farnworth

 

There is no evidence of widespread diversion of safe-supply drugs, British Columbia’s solicitor general and the RCMP said Monday, after Federal Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith cited a recent drug seizure to criticize the province’s program.

 

Mike Farnworth told reporters he had spoken to the RCMP’s commanding officer in B.C. about the seizure in Prince George and was told the idea that there is widespread diversion is “simply not true.”

 

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

 

Farnworth, who is also B.C.’s public safety minister, said Smith and Poilievre shouldn’t have made claims about the seizure without waiting for all the information.

 

RCMP in Prince George said last week that a recent seizure of thousands of pills included morphine and hydromorphone, two drugs that are part of B.C.’s program offering prescription alternatives to people at risk of overdose from consuming toxic street drugs.

 

Farnworth said “some but not all” of the drugs seized in Prince George and in another investigation in Campbell River were from the safe-supply program.

 

- https://www.maplerid...rnworth-7328551

[Victoria Watcher]

A Vancouver Island doctor involved in setting up unsanctioned overdose prevention sites has resigned from her positions with Island Health, claiming she was placed on leave as punishment for her public advocacy work.

 

Dr. Jess Wilder, a co-founder of the group Doctors for Safer Drug Policy, says in a resignation letter dated Feb. 5 that she’s leaving her positions with Island Health “immediately.”

 

Wilder says she was placed on administrative leave on Jan. 22 from her physician lead positions in harm reduction and education, and addiction medicine at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.

 

 

She says in a separate letter addressed to colleagues at Island Health that she was placed on leave “pending investigation of alleged accusations” related to her “public advocacy work,” though it says she will continue her clinical and patient-facing work.

 

Wilder says the investigation is confidential and she directed questions to Dr. Ash Heaslip, with Island Health’s Addiction Medicine and Substance Use Program, and Dr. Randal Mason, the program’s regional medical director.

 

 

https://www.vicnews....e-sites-7806499

[Victoria Watcher]

A Nanaimo hospital-based addictions physician resigned Wednesday, after she said she was placed on administrative leave by Island Health over her public advocacy for overdose-prevention sites on hospital grounds.

Dr. Jess Wilder, co-founder of Doctors for Safer Drug Policy, said in her resignation letter dated Wednesday that she’s leaving her lead positions with the health authority at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital “effective immediately” after being placed on temporary administrative leave Jan. 22.


https://www.timescol...-leave-10198200

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 07 February 2025 - 01:09 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Inquest to be held in April for UVic student who died of toxic-drug poisoning in residence

First-year student Sidney McIntyre-Starko died January 2024 of cardiac arrest due to fentanyl poisoning while in residence at the University of Victoria

https://www.timescol...idence-10232195

The 911 operator waited 10 minutes to ask if an unconscious McIntyre-Starko and her friend, who survived the overdose, had consumed drugs, and 12 minutes before suggesting the use of Naloxone, according to the records.






Something doesn’t seem right here.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 13 February 2025 - 01:38 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Here is the timeline according to the family:

https://sidneyshould...tailed-Timeline

[Blair M.]

It's just my overly-simplistic take on the issue, but after the half-decade plus of fentanyl based drugs that have proven time and time again that the assorted combinations dealers come up with can, and likely will eventually kill you - I'm not inclined to put much thought or taxpayers money into trying to "figure it all out".

 

If you're a middle class UVIC student, just don't stick weird sh_t into your body that you don't know exactly where it came from, beginning from the first step of manufacture, and ending with the person you handed your cash to.

Or safer yet - just don't stick weird sh_t into your body.

[Victoria Watcher]

After the website, all the media attention. We still have not been told how they consumed it. Or how they procured it. Maybe that will come out in the inquest?

She wasn’t middle class. Mom is an emergency room physician.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 13 February 2025 - 02:14 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Capital Daily:


Cailin Shea McIntyre-Starko, known as Sidney, died of cardiac arrest last year on Jan. 26, three days after she and another student collapsed onto their UVic dorm-room floor, the result of ingesting fentanyl. A third student also swallowed the drug but managed to call 911. The two other students survived, but McIntyre-Starko died in hospital.





They swallowed fentanyl? Maybe they thought they were taking MDMA?

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 14 February 2025 - 06:16 AM.

[Mike K.]

Swallowed? That’s new information.

It definitely doesn’t align with what was being said initially, that they were smoking weed which had accidentally been laced with something.

[Victoria Watcher]

I don’t think they said that. We mused about it.

There also might be faulty reporting.

In any event, it’s a huge gap in all the reporting. Surely other parents would like to know.

That 911 operator sounded useless. The fact that the 911 caller was also on drugs didn’t help.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 14 February 2025 - 07:41 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Victoria, Sooke see rise in overdose calls, defying provincial trend

Victoria saw a five per cent increase in overdose calls in 2024 while Sooke's numbers jumped nearly 60 per cent


https://www.vicnews....l-trend-7819769



Last year, Victoria saw 2,381 overdose calls, the third-highest number of calls in the province, just behind Vancouver, which had 9,564 calls, and Surrey, which had 3,335 calls.

In total, B.C. saw 40,543 calls, which is down about four per cent compared to 2023.

Despite the upward trend in Victoria, Saanich saw 419 calls in 2024 which is down about nine per cent; Langford saw just over a 24 per cent decrease with 210 calls; North Saanich saw a 61 per cent decrease with 12 calls in 2024, Sidney saw a decrease of 35 per cent with 20 calls; and View Royal saw a decrease of about 25 per cent with 44 calls.

Sooke, however, saw a huge jump last year with about 137 calls, an almost 60 per cent increase compared to 2023.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 14 February 2025 - 08:28 AM.