Residents want different solutions to toxic drug crisis, poll finds

The toxic drug crisis continues to be a key issue this provincial election, with a recent poll finding that drug use was among the top three issues for Vancouverites.

The exclusive poll by CityNews Vancouver found 73 per cent of respondents support injection sites but feel it’s time to find another alternative solution. At the same time, more than half of respondents — 51 per cent — say the sites should be shut completely because they don’t work.

Dr. MJ Milloy, an assistant professor with the University of British Columbia’s Department of Medicine, says the issue of public injection sites is a systemic one and more complex than just addiction.

“We can’t expect overdose prevention sites or safe injection sites to solve all the problems we face in urban communities,” he said.

“…our psychiatric system has largely failed people who have substance and mental health issues, but clearly the public health and the clinical medical health system need to do more.”

Milloy says a large population of the people who access safe injection sites buy their drugs off the street, which is contributing to toxic drug poisoning and other harms.

“We have a large unregulated market place selling substances without any regulation or supervision,” he said.

“Because of the scope and the scale of the crisis, as a society we need to have a conversation about how we regulate substances.”

Milloy says we have regulated markets for tabacco, liquor, cannabis, and pharmaceuticals, and we should do the same for hard drugs.

“It is far past time that we establish similar systems for systems for heroin and cocaine,” he said.

“We need to have a system that offers them care when they reach that point. We currently do not have such a system.”