B.C.'s provincial health officer backs new national drug strategy
"It's a very positive move ... We're very supportive of this"
B.C.'s provincial health officer is lauding the federal government's introduction of a new national drug strategy that aims to make it easier to open supervised drug consumption sites.
"It's a very positive move ... We're very supportive of this," Dr. Perry Kendall said on CBC's The Early Edition.
Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott introduced Bill C-37 Monday, together with Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale.
In her announcement, Philpott said the bill would restore harm reduction as a core pillar of Canada's drug policy. It would also repeal the 26 application conditions that currently exist for supervised drug consumption sites.
In a supervised consumption site, medical personnel oversee people as they use illicit drugs. Advocates of the sites say they can save lives, and the current criteria to get one approved by Health Canada is too onerous.
There has been increasing demand for such sites from cities across British Columbia as the opioid overdose crisis continues to claim lives. In November, a B.C. Coroners report showed 622 people have died from drug overdoses so far this year in the province.
On Dec. 8, B.C. Health Minister Terry Lake introduced a temporary measure with the creation of "overdose prevention sites" which will allow drug users to use with some support — but not supervision — from trained personnel.
Kendall said if passed, the federal legislation would significantly expedite applications for supervised consumption sites.
"How quickly it can impact on our current overdose epidemic, I don't know," he said.
He estimated Vancouver could see new sites as soon as the new year.
With files from The Early Edition
To listen to the interview, click on the link labelled Perry Kendall on Bill C-37