B.C. government buries secret report on ‘safer supply’ opioids
‘As long as [safer supply] gives valuable things away for free, or for far below market prices, one should expect there to also be ‘profiteers’ wishing to profit by obtaining supply for resale,’ the report reads.
British Columbia’s top doctor failed to inform Premier David Eby of a confidential report on 'safer supply' narcotics last fall. The report last month was finally made public last month.
American drug policy expert Jonathan Caulkins examined the "economics" of the diversion of 'safer supply.' The results of the examination, completed in March, were unbeknownst to Premier David Eby.
In April, he expressed choice words for Dr. Bonnie Henry. "There are occasionally moments of frustration like when the [provincial health] officer is doing work that we’re not aware of, but I certainly know that Dr. Henry intends to be sharing her findings of this work," he said at the time.
Trudeau describes the Liberals' decision to let BC to handout govt-supplied heroin and meth as a "science-based compassionate" program, and says he'll keep working with the province despite concerns over the resale of 'safer supply' drugs.https://t.co/t50c3TNz74 pic.twitter.com/PSfTPcD8Y2
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) April 19, 2024
The report, critical of harm reduction strategies for addiction, argued: "As long as [safer supply] gives valuable things away for free, or for far below market prices, one should expect there to also be 'profiteers' wishing to profit by obtaining supply for resale."
Caulkins wrote that dealers could also use drug users as "resourceful smugglers" to divert supply to the black market. That raised particular concern regarding the sale of "safe" fentanyl.
The province typically distributes eight-milligram tablets of hydromorphone, an extremely potent fentanyl substitute, to users, reported the National Post.
Addictions specialist Nathaniel Day highlights the alarming potency of small quantities of decriminalized illicit drugs, emphasizing their potential for extreme harmhttps://t.co/10R46kQiZP pic.twitter.com/0fBeg9mSiV
— Tamara Ugolini 🇨🇦 (@TamaraUgo) April 17, 2024
The province dispensed 11 million tablets of 'safer supply' hydromorphone during the 2022/2023 fiscal year. Caulkins cautioned that dealers may combine these tablets with illicit fentanyl to "extend" their supply and profits.
The 'safer supply' programs bolstered B.C.'s opioid supply by almost one-third, it reads.
Meanwhile, Dr. Henry’s office published a separate report simultaneously, with calls to legalize all narcotics through "non-medical safer supply."
Conservative MP Laila Goodridge motioned the HoC health committee to question bureaucrats about drug decriminalization, citing a leaked hospital memo instructing against drug and weapon confiscationhttps://t.co/10R46kQiZP pic.twitter.com/vgprdNmusN
— Tamara Ugolini 🇨🇦 (@TamaraUgo) April 17, 2024
It referenced Caulkin’s findings but omitted many concerns he flagged, including the risks of organized crime, increased smuggling, increased drug use and an expanded drug market.
The Eby government went on to reject Henry’s recommendations.
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