Canada is in the grips of the worst public health crisis in recent history: the accidental poisoning of people who use criminalized drugs by a toxic, deadly and unregulated illegal supply.

More than 12,800 people died in Canada from drug-related toxicity between 2016 and March 2019, and the provinces most affected by the crisis — British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario — have failed to mount appropriate emergency responses.

The current crisis dwarfs any modern public health catastrophes in Canada, and the persistent resistance of governments to act is putting thousands of Canadians at risk every day.

The lack of action exposes a lack of political will and leadership. Over three years into a declared public health emergency, Premier John Horgan has failed to ensure the implementation of an urgent emergency response proportional to the threat of accidental poisoning to thousands of B.C. residents.

Municipalities, harm-reduction workers, peers on the front lines of the crisis and even the Vancouver police are calling for innovation and action. Faced with a staggering death toll, Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart received support from the board of the Canadian Federation of Municipalities for Vancouver’s “Safe Supply Resolution,” which invites “health professionals, all levels of governments and the public to join (Vancouver) in advocating for a safe supply of drugs, to protect and prevent further loss of our family members, friends, neighbours and loved ones.” The City of Victoria tabled a similar resolution at the Union of B.C. Municipalities’ annual convention in September.

The province’s own public health experts continue to call for change while the government itself appears to be stalled in its response as the body count climbs. In April, a detailed proposal for a “made in B.C.” model of decriminalization of drugs was proposed by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. The idea was dismissed within hours by Public Safety Minister Mike Farnsworth, as something that only the federal government could do. Dr. Henry also called for a safer supply of opioids to be made available for people at risk of accidental poisoning.

In July, Vancouver Coastal Health Region’s chief medical health officer recommended that drugs be decriminalized, and that people who use drugs should have access to legal forms of opioids, including pharmaceutical-grade heroin. The government has taken no discernable action to move these recommendations forward.

In addition the new Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions, which was created to be a primary tool in addressing the overdose crisis, has, in fact little operational power within government, as well as no real budget or ability to co-ordinate a response proportional to the disaster it was meant to confront.

In the first six months of this year, accidental poisoning deaths have come down approximately 30 per cent compared to 2018, but still remain extremely high at 462. However, overdose calls to B.C. ambulance services remain exceptionally high. In March, paramedics responded to the highest number of overdose calls yet recorded. This suggests the drug supply is more dangerous than ever, risking more brain injuries, if not death.

If thousands of people were suddenly dropping dead from any other cause, there would immediately be a robust and well-funded emergency task force in place, working 24/7 to address the root of the crisis: in this case, the toxic drug supply.

In 2016, the previous health minister, Terry Lake, demonstrated what is possible by issuing a ministerial order to health regions to open overdose-prevention sites without going through a federal approval process — an innovative and urgent response focused on saving lives. Last month, the B.C./Yukon Association of Drug War Survivors requested that the B.C. government use the same tool to accelerate the provision of a safe supply of opioids to people at risk.

It is long past time to mount an urgent response to this crisis. Provincial governments must be held accountable not only for their actions, but also for their inaction in the face of this continuing catastrophe and the evidence from their own experts, as well as the people most at risk of dying.

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Donald MacPherson is the Executive Director of the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition The Star Vancouver is inviting local people to step in as guest editors each Friday and have their say on an issue that’s important to them. Next week, Mohamed Fahmy talks about why Canada should take more action — such as sanctions — against Iran. Read the full guest editor series here

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