The BC Coroners Service has reported the a staggering 74 percent increase in overdose deaths in the province. 1,716 people had died as a result of illicit drug use in 2020. This is more than homicides, suicides and car crashes combined.
According to Global News, this is an average of 4.7 deaths a day; a record high.
"The impacts of COVID-19 highlighted the immensely precarious situation of those experiencing problematic substance use in our province," chief coroner Lisa Lapointe said in a press conference.
"Decades of criminalization, an increasingly toxic illicit drug market and the lack of timely access to evidence-based treatment and recovery services have resulted in the loss of thousands of lives in B.C. It’s clear that urgent change is needed to prevent future deaths and the resulting grief and loss so many families and communities have experienced across our province," continued Lapointe.
The BC NDP's solution is to ask the federal government for an exemption, allowing possession of small amounts of illicit drugs as not a criminal offence. If approved, B.C. will be the first jurisdiction in the country to employ this method.
Powered by StructureCMS™ Comments
Join and support independent free thinkers!
We’re independent and can’t be cancelled. The establishment media is increasingly dedicated to divisive cancel culture, corporate wokeism, and political correctness, all while covering up corruption from the corridors of power. The need for fact-based journalism and thoughtful analysis has never been greater. When you support The Post Millennial, you support freedom of the press at a time when it's under direct attack. Join the ranks of independent, free thinkers by supporting us today for as little as $1.
Remind me next month
To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, please visit our Privacy Policy
Comments