Surrey RCMP issue toxic drug warning
Posted December 1, 2023 6:59 pm.
Mounties in Surrey are issuing a warning about toxic drugs they say are circulating in the north part of the city.
The Surrey RCMP says officers have responded to five deaths in the last week, deaths they believe were a result of toxic drugs.
University of British Columbia population and public health professor Mark Haden says, to combat things like this, it’s critical that we start treating drugs like a health issue rather than a policing issue.
“People will access drugs — either access them from paid professionals in the context of wraparound health services or they access them from organized crime,” he said.
Haden says it’s more likely the drugs they’re using are deadly when users have to rely on a street supply rather than a regulated supply of drugs that’s been checked by health professionals.
“Organized crime is not vigilant about known products and potency and keeping drugs clean, paid professionals are incredibly vigilant,” he said.
“[When] we prohibit drugs, what happens is organized crime steps up to the plate and they make available whatever they want to make available, and often drugs are completely full of fentanyl and all kinds of other things that poison people.”
Mounties say these toxic drugs have been high-potency fentanyl mixed with benzodiazepine.
