Home / Health / BC Safe Supply Under Fire: New Rules Spark Controversy
BC Safe Supply Under Fire: New Rules Spark Controversy
1 Jan
Summary
- New restrictions require most safe supply patients to dose under supervision.
- Addictions specialists fear changes will push vulnerable users back to toxic drugs.
- Leaked RCMP reports revealed significant diversion of prescribed opioids.
New regulations have been enacted for British Columbia's safe supply program, requiring most patients to take prescription opioids such as hydromorphone or fentanyl patches under the supervision of a pharmacist or health professional. This shift from take-home doses aims to curb the diversion of these medications, with leaked RCMP reports indicating a significant portion was trafficked.
Proponents of the changes, like Jake Flood of the Umbrella Society, argue that witnessed dosing strikes a balance and addresses issues with clients not adhering to prescriptions. He noted that diverted pills were becoming cheap street drugs, exposing teens to substances. However, Dr. Jess Wilder, an addictions doctor, warns that the new rules create barriers for unhoused patients, potentially leading to destabilization and increased risk from toxic street drugs.
Exceptions exist for certain rural residents and those with inflexible work schedules, and witnessed dosing does not apply to pain management or palliative care patients. Despite some pharmacies offering delivery services, concerns remain that the most vulnerable patients could be left behind. The program has seen a sharp decline in enrollment, with numbers dropping from 5,000 to 1,900, fueling arguments that many participants were using the program for diversion purposes.
