Drugs

Andrew Leavens, front left, and Carl Gladue, right, carry an empty coffin during a march organized by the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) to mark International Overdose Awareness Day, in Vancouver, on Thursday, August 31, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

UPDATED: B.C. rejects experts call for non-prescription access to safer drug supply

Coroner’s death review panel says expanded safer supply fastest way to save lives, but B.C. says ‘no’

Andrew Leavens, front left, and Carl Gladue, right, carry an empty coffin during a march organized by the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) to mark International Overdose Awareness Day, in Vancouver, on Thursday, August 31, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
The BC Coroner Service is reporting 175 unregulated drug deaths in September 2023. A protester holds a sign that reads, “Help test our dope before we go up in smoke.” People marched along Powell Street toward Main Street in Vancouver on April 14, 2023 during an event marking the seventh anniversary of the toxic drug deaths in B.C. (Photo: Lauren Collins)

Nearly 6 people died per day from unregulated drugs in September: B.C. coroner

Latest data shows a 10% decrease from September 2022

The BC Coroner Service is reporting 175 unregulated drug deaths in September 2023. A protester holds a sign that reads, “Help test our dope before we go up in smoke.” People marched along Powell Street toward Main Street in Vancouver on April 14, 2023 during an event marking the seventh anniversary of the toxic drug deaths in B.C. (Photo: Lauren Collins)
FILE - A sign for Eli Lilly & Co. stands outside their corporate headquarters in Indianapolis on April 26, 2017. A new study finds that the medicine in the diabetes drug Mounjaro helped people with obesity or who are overweight lose at least a quarter of their body weight. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)

Drug used in diabetes treatment Mounjaro helped dieters shed 60 pounds: study

Drug had to be combined with intensive diet and exercise

FILE - A sign for Eli Lilly & Co. stands outside their corporate headquarters in Indianapolis on April 26, 2017. A new study finds that the medicine in the diabetes drug Mounjaro helped people with obesity or who are overweight lose at least a quarter of their body weight. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)
Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) board member Martin Steward speaks in MacLean Park in Vancouver on Oct. 4. The group says new provincial restrictions on public drug consumption will have deadly effects on the community. (Jane Skrypnek/Black Press Media)

B.C. drug users group says new consumption rules stigmatizing them further

Province introduced restrictions last month, promises further public drug use legislation soon

Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) board member Martin Steward speaks in MacLean Park in Vancouver on Oct. 4. The group says new provincial restrictions on public drug consumption will have deadly effects on the community. (Jane Skrypnek/Black Press Media)
Border services officers discovered nearly 200kg of opium inside two shipping containers entering B.C. in August. (Photo courtesy of Canada Border Services Agency)

Opium found stuffed in furniture, machinery entering B.C.

CBSA discovered nearly 200 kg of the drug inside shipping containers in August

Border services officers discovered nearly 200kg of opium inside two shipping containers entering B.C. in August. (Photo courtesy of Canada Border Services Agency)
Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe provides an update on illicit drug toxicity deaths in the province during a press conference at B.C. Legislature in Victoria, B.C., on Monday, February 24, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Overdoses from smoking toxic drugs outpace B.C. prevention sites

Chief coroner says more supervised places required

Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe provides an update on illicit drug toxicity deaths in the province during a press conference at B.C. Legislature in Victoria, B.C., on Monday, February 24, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Clayton Eheler. (Facebook)

B.C. drug trafficker Clayton Eheler given 7 year sentence

But with credit for time served, Eheler only has 2 years jail time remaining

Clayton Eheler. (Facebook)
A shortage of diabetes drug Ozempic that is used off-label for weight loss is expected in Canada, manufacturer Novo Nordisk says. The injectable drug Ozempic is shown in Houston, Saturday, July 1, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-David J. Phillip

Shortage of diabetes and weight loss drug Ozempic pending in Canada

Manufacturer says global supply structure creating issues that will be felt into the fall

A shortage of diabetes drug Ozempic that is used off-label for weight loss is expected in Canada, manufacturer Novo Nordisk says. The injectable drug Ozempic is shown in Houston, Saturday, July 1, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-David J. Phillip
Six men were charged in relation to a large-scale drug lab bust in Lumby in 2018. (RCMP photo)

Large Okanagan drug lab leads to 11 years jail for 2 men

Trent Fussi and Robyn Bryson are among six people to be sentenced after the lab was busted in 2018

Six men were charged in relation to a large-scale drug lab bust in Lumby in 2018. (RCMP photo)
Setting up a prototype drug tester at Shambhala Music Festival. University of British Columbia researchers from the chemistry department are bringing a portable drug-testing robot to Shambhala Music Festival in Salmo to give festival-goers a chance to have their drugs tested in about 15 minutes. (Hein Lab)

Portable drug-testing ‘robot’ heading to Shambhala Music Festival

The team’s prototype aims to identify, quantify expected substances, like fentanyl, in 15 minutes

Setting up a prototype drug tester at Shambhala Music Festival. University of British Columbia researchers from the chemistry department are bringing a portable drug-testing robot to Shambhala Music Festival in Salmo to give festival-goers a chance to have their drugs tested in about 15 minutes. (Hein Lab)
B.C. Addictions Minister Jennifer Whiteside in Chilliwack announcing $3 million expansion of mobile integrated crisis response teams to Chilliwack, Abbotsford and seven other B.C. communities. (Jennifer Feinberg/ Chilliwack Progress)

B.C. expands crises response teams to 9 communities

Mobile Integrated Crisis Response teams are coming to nine additional communities for a total of 21

B.C. Addictions Minister Jennifer Whiteside in Chilliwack announcing $3 million expansion of mobile integrated crisis response teams to Chilliwack, Abbotsford and seven other B.C. communities. (Jennifer Feinberg/ Chilliwack Progress)
Meth and cash was seized by a Langley RCMP unit on July 4. (Langley RCMP photo/Special to the Langley Advance Times)

$1 million in meth seized in Langley drug bust

RCMP found the drugs, along with cash, in a Toyota Camry

Meth and cash was seized by a Langley RCMP unit on July 4. (Langley RCMP photo/Special to the Langley Advance Times)
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health Carolyn Bennett rises during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, June 1, 2023. Dozens of community and Indigenous groups across Western Canada will share $20 million in federal funding to boost their drug awareness, treatment, rehabilitation and mental-health services. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Feds announce $20M for drug rehab programs across Western Canada

Minister in Squamish to announce funds for community and Indigenous-based treatment

Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health Carolyn Bennett rises during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, June 1, 2023. Dozens of community and Indigenous groups across Western Canada will share $20 million in federal funding to boost their drug awareness, treatment, rehabilitation and mental-health services. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
FILE - The White House is seen, July 30, 2022, in Washington. The White House was briefly evacuated Sunday evening while President Joe Biden was at Camp David after a suspicious powder was discovered by the Secret Service in a common area of the West Wing, and a preliminary test showed the substance was cocaine, two law enforcement officials said Tuesday.(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

Suspicious powder found at the White House when Biden was gone was cocaine, AP sources say

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House was briefly evacuated Sunday evening while…

FILE - The White House is seen, July 30, 2022, in Washington. The White House was briefly evacuated Sunday evening while President Joe Biden was at Camp David after a suspicious powder was discovered by the Secret Service in a common area of the West Wing, and a preliminary test showed the substance was cocaine, two law enforcement officials said Tuesday.(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)
An advertisement for Ozempic is seen on a billboard in Toronto on Friday, June 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

Ozempic ads seem to be everywhere, doctors and ethics experts are worried

Increased attention on diabetes drug turned weight loss treatment has watchdogs on alert

An advertisement for Ozempic is seen on a billboard in Toronto on Friday, June 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
(THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick)

Conservative Leader Poilievre elaborates on controversial Kelowna tent city tweet

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre spoke with Capital News about homelessness in Kelowna

(THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick)
Jessica Michalofsky spoke to supporters at Lakeside Park in Nelson on May 21 before beginning her month-long run to Victoria to increase awareness of the need for a safe and regulated supply of drugs. Michalofsky’s son Aubrey died of a toxic drug overdose in August of last year. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

‘First-time users are dying’: B.C. mom runs across province advocating for safe drug supply

Jessica Michalofsky’s 25-year-old son died of drug poisoning in August, 2022

Jessica Michalofsky spoke to supporters at Lakeside Park in Nelson on May 21 before beginning her month-long run to Victoria to increase awareness of the need for a safe and regulated supply of drugs. Michalofsky’s son Aubrey died of a toxic drug overdose in August of last year. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
FILE - Union of British Columbia Municipalities president Jen Ford speaks at the 2022 convention on Sept. 16, 2022. Ford welcomes Premier David Eby’s promises to help municipalities around drug use in public spaces as more communities are looking at their options, but she’s urging speed.(UBCM/Flickr)

UBCM president welcomes Eby’s support on public drug-use issue, but urges speed

Whistler Coun. Jen Ford says ‘there is not one solution that works for everyone’

FILE - Union of British Columbia Municipalities president Jen Ford speaks at the 2022 convention on Sept. 16, 2022. Ford welcomes Premier David Eby’s promises to help municipalities around drug use in public spaces as more communities are looking at their options, but she’s urging speed.(UBCM/Flickr)
(File)

Enough meth, cocaine and fentanyl to ‘supply entire community’ seized near Nakusp

The drugs were in a car found in a ditch with two sleeping passengers by RCMP

  • May 17, 2023
(File)
Former mayor of Kamloops and BC United Shadow Finance Minister Peter Milobar calls for a province-wide drug use in municipal parks and playgrounds. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

B.C. MLA calls for provincewide ban on drug use in parks, playgrounds

BC United’s Peter Milobar says ban would end current confusion around municipal bylaws

Former mayor of Kamloops and BC United Shadow Finance Minister Peter Milobar calls for a province-wide drug use in municipal parks and playgrounds. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)