Drug testing clinic owner invites B.C. politicians to visit Vancouver sites

Amid calls for his drug testing clinic to be shut down, Dana Larsen has invited two B.C. politicians to come visit his Vancouver testing sites. 

Larsen has invited BC United MLA Elenore Sturko, who is the critic for Mental Health and Addictions, and B.C. Minister for Mental Health and Addictions Jennifer Whiteside to visit the Get Your Drug Tested centres.

Sturko has been vocal on social media about her concern that Larsen’s drug testing sites were approved by Vancouver Coastal Health given the fact that Larsen’s illicit psychedelic shops were raided by Vancouver police recently. 

But Larsen believes if Sturko sees the work the sites are doing, she will change her mind.

“It’s bizarre that we’re doing 60-per-cent-plus of all street-drug testing in B.C., with zero funding, during a public-health crisis, and no elected official has ever come to visit,” Larsen posted on social media.

Sturko tells CityNews she won’t be taking Larsen up on his invitation. 

“It’s not that I’m not interested in visiting some of the great organizations that are doing very good work for people suffering from addictions or drug use in British Columbia. But I will say, I’m not in agreement with these services being provided by individuals who have had issues, quite recently even, with drug trafficking.”

Sturko wants to know if Larsen’s sites are being overseen by Vancouver Coastal Health, and under what program they’re allowing a private citizen to deliver health-care services. 

Larsen tells CityNews his sites have been approved by VCH as overdose prevention sites. He says there’s no official partnership with VCH, adding the sites are entirely funded by proceeds from his illicit drug storefronts that were recently raided by the VPD. 

“Whether or not we had that certification from Vancouver Coastal Health we would be operating anyways. It’s nice to get permission, but this is an important, life-saving service and we operate regardless of whether or not somebody signs a form saying we’re allowed to do this.” 

Larsen has expanded the operation to two locations — the main location is at 880 East Hastings, while the other is at 245 West Broadway. The sites use  FTIR spectrometers and test strips to analyze any drug or substance for free, in-person, and by mail. Results are ready in about 15 minutes depending on demand and the sample results are posted online in a searchable database, he explains.

There are drug-testing services offered by VCH and other B.C. health authorities, which Larsen calls “woefully inadequate.” As for calls to shut him down, Larsen says he would love to be shut down — but only if a similar service took his place. 

“We provide the service the way it should be done,” Larsen said. “I’d be thrilled if we could shut down our service and no longer provide it because it was being provided better by the actual authorities who should be doing it all around the province, and it’s something the province could do quite easily.”

Sturko agrees that the province should provide more accessible drug testing services across B.C.

CityNews reached out to Minister Whiteside for comment but has not yet heard back.