Tackling BCs Toxic Drug Health Emergency

Whereas the continued illegal supply of increasingly toxic street drugs has led to over 12,000 toxic drug overdose deaths since the BC Provincial Health Officers declaration of a Drug Overdose Public Health Emergency in 2016, and government measures to date have failed to reduce the criminal supply of toxic drugs and toxic drug overdose deaths; And whereas there is insufficient province-wide access to resources and services that would increase users safety, which include drug testing and overdose prevention sites as well as detox beds and treatment services on demand, and preventative programs, especially for youth, and now even current safe injection sites are now hampered in providing safety since more users are now inhaling rather than injecting drugs and provincial regulations restrict indoor smoking and vaping: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM urge the BC Government to work with medical researchers, experts, local service providers, other key stakeholders and people who use drugs to determine a comprehensive, integrated, economically and geographically accessible, and evidence-based province-wide plan to better tackle BCs toxic drug health emergency, including: - Increasing safety by: o Rapidly delivering access province-wide to resources and services that will improve users and public safety, including drug testing, supervised consumption spaces and overdose prevention sites; o Quickly amending the Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act to enable supervised consumption and other harm reduction facilities to allow inhalation or smoking of drugs where operations can otherwise be demonstrated as WorkSafe compliant; and o Preparing for a review of the current 3-yearJanuary 31, 2023 to January 31, 2026 Provincial decriminalization pilot program and the 4-year 2020-2024 Federal Safer Supply Pilot Project to determine how drug policies and programs can be refined to better support people who use drugs in accessing throughout BC a safer and tested drug supply therefore reducing their exposure to the often fatal dangers of the illicit market. - Increasing economically accessible treatment by supporting the BC Nurses Union 2023 convention resolution to develop a system of mental and addiction treatment and recovery services that are regulated, evidence-based, economically and geographically accessible, and are available when people are looking for it; and - Increasing prevention by investing in mental health treatment and life-enhancing youth, family and community well-being programs, including early childhood detection, intervention and ongoing supports for learning differences.