The province is looking for feedback from the public on B.C.’s drug toxicity and overdose crisis as part of a provincial committee tasked with reviewing the public health emergency.
British Columbians are invited to provide written comments to the Select Standing Committee on Health before Friday, Aug. 5 at 3 p.m.
The committee began its public hearings in May and has received presentations from more than 90 organizations and individuals, including government representatives, public health officials, experts, and people with lived and living experiences.
"It is important that we hear as many views and ideas as possible related to this public health crisis. We are grateful to those who have already provided their input,” said Shirley Bond, MLA for Prince George-Valemount, and the deputy chair for the committee.
“There is still time to share your recommendations for how we can take specific action to further address this deadly emergency."
As of May 31, the B.C. Coroners Service reported that overdoses claimed 29 lives in Prince George in 2022.
That number is up by two from the Coroners Service’s report in June, which included deaths up to the end of April.
Prince George has the 10th highest rate of overdoses per capita in B.C. this year, with the equivalent of 81.2 deaths per 100,000 person-years, well above the B.C. average of 42.9.
“The toxic drug supply should be dealt with, because that's just going to keep killing people,” said Andy, a resident of Prince George who uses methadone.
“Every one of those people's lives are worth something.”
He said one of the struggles he has seen people facing in Prince George is the lack of access to opioid agonist treatment (OAT) which uses medications like suboxone and methadone to treat opioid addiction, reduce drug-related harms and support long-term recovery.
He said there are barriers in the north including long waitlists, a lack of clinics, and stigma.
Andy said when he was living in Vancouver there were many clinics where he could access OAT, but in Prince George, it’s limited to just three at the downtown harm reduction clinic (needle exchange), Nechako Centre, and the Central Interior Native Health Society.
“So, if they can expand that is, seriously, that's going to be the best thing that they could do, safe non-toxic drug supply as the number one thing because there's no reason for some of these people to die.”
He said it is also very difficult to access detox treatment.
“I’ve been asking for detox for months, and it would take me months to get in there. If I made a hard push to get it, literally took me seven months to get it – it has to change.”
Andy said services need to be expanded to meet the needs of the drug users in the north and it’s important for the government to hear from those with experience.
“Everybody should be included. Now you have guys like me who have been using for a long time and you should have us talking to these guys.”
Northern Health has said it is continuing to work on expanding prescribed safe supply provision, in partnership with prescribers.
Across B.C., a total of 940 overdose deaths were reported between January and May, a record number for the first five months of the year. A total of 195 deaths were reported in B.C. in May, a record for a single calendar month, the Coroners Service reported.
“Six people a day are dying due to the toxic drug crisis in this province and it's nothing short of tragic,” said B.C. Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Sheila Malcolmson said in a statement.
“But it's the reason we must persevere and continue the vital work of reducing the risk of toxic drug poisonings and saving lives.”
The Select Standing Committee on Health will consider all input received before the deadline on Aug. 5 before it prepared its report which is due by Nov. 2, 2022.
Anyone wishing to submit feedback to the standing committee can find out more information on the committee’s website.
