"Several studies and government reports have found that drug seizures are associated with increased risk of overdose, prevent people from accessing life-saving services or calling emergency services during overdoses, and increase harm to people who use drugs."

DULF co-founders Eris Nyx and Jeremy Kalicum were each found guilty of three counts of trafficking meth, heroin and cocaine this morning. The pair are launching a constitutional challenge later this month of the CDSA and their convictions won't be entered until then. Story up shortly on @thetyee.ca

“To pay for VicPD’s demands, the city is even looking at cutting a children’s book prize, and a poet laureate and youth poet laureate program that only costs $8,000 (keep in mind that VicPD spent $22,000 on a retirement party this year)” 🚨➡️ defundvicpd.org/2025/11/06/c... #yyj #DefundVicPD

martlet.ca/potent-synth... "Government intervention in medical decision-making has limited access to pharmaceutical-grade opioid tablets, [so] 'It’s not surprising that people are going to seek those tablets elsewhere.'"

The City of Victoria might slash grants and programs across the board to make up for one single line item that's roughly equivalent to everything being cut. Can anyone guess what that single budget item is, which apparently isn't even up for debate? One guess.

“So much violence is justified as care for happiness.” -Sara Ahmed

Former BC Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe lays it out with great clarity in this very worthwhile Fifth Estate episode @cbcnews.ca Not only are there no standards with regards to what happens at residential treatment, there are no reported outcome measures. youtu.be/wY_a8kkLRD4?...

Our Parkdale supervised consumption site had near unanimous support at community meetings, 300+ residents who signed a petition in support, and the evidence on our side. But Premier Ford is closing it regardless, and the results will be absolutely deadly. www.torontotoday.ca/local/health...

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... Is anyone able to put us in touch with Drs. Karissa Brabant and Sean Groves? #Saskpoli

The excrement of a bovine is leaking from many provincial governments these days. Almost as if they don't think our patients are full human beings worthy of respect and autonomy. #cdnpoli #bcpoli bsky.app/profile/alex...

“These interim guidelines are not based on evidence, they’re not based on data, or even anecdotal experience from addiction medicine professionals. This was a political move.”

Judge: “The troubling thing about this prosecution is that everyone knew what was happening… It seems like these two [gestures to defendants Nyx and Kalicum] are being hung out to dry. As soon as politicians started complaining, all of a sudden VPD—which before was fine—suddenly is not fine.”

DULF showed us all the way. They were even acknowledged by the Premier as saving lives. Now the state is trying to punish them for it. "In the recording, the [police] reply that this is 'great work that you’re doing' and that they are 'happy to assist in any way we can.'" thetyee.ca/News/2025/10...

All the good interviews are in the bottom half of this piece. "Larkin said that the government should look at improving the quality of voluntary care, which could help drug users get help before they overdose multiple times and get brain injuries."

When the Alberta government claims that deaths from the toxic drug crisis are decreasing or stabilizing, take a look at this graph — it tells a very different story. Involuntary care won’t fix this. Compassion, harm reduction, on-demand voluntary treatment options, and real supports will.

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... "Governments need to treat substance use disorder like the medical condition that it is, and urgently expand the access to safer drugs and more care." #bcpoli

www.timescolonist.com/local-news/p... "The synthetic opioid nitazene ... is showing up ... in counterfeit pressed pills sold as oxycodone, percocet and hydromorphone." A predicted harm of the BC Government's crackdown on safer supply prescribing. #bcpoli

It’s a creeping threat to us all. First they came for substance use care…

And again today!

We are running an OPS outside RJH today! Come on down to see what the fuss is about! The government still hasn’t followed through on its commitment to fund three OPS at Island hospitals. #bcpoli #harmreduction

Hi there @davethompsonvic.bsky.social thetyee.ca/News/2025/09...

The Canadian Medical Association stands with our colleagues at the American Medical Association (AMA) in calling on Florida to reverse its plans to end all vaccine mandates, including those required for school attendance. Our statement ⬇️

Broken record territory rapidly approaching, but once again: Homelessness is not a societal inevitability. It's a policy failure. This is a solvable issue with a known solution, even under capitalism, because that solution is less expensive than the current responses. We just don't want to do it.

One of our founders, Dr. Kelsey Roden, lays out what we need. #bcpoli #IOAD #harmreduction www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS_h...

On Labour Day we closed out the weekend of IOAD events at the BC Legislature, where we hosted an emotional gathering to grieve the loss of so many of our loved ones to bad government policy and to demand better. We heard from former BC Chief Coroner, Lisa Lapointe, and our own Dr. Kelsey Roden.

Die in on September 1, 2025. B.C. legislature. We need an expansion of harm reduction services including more OPS, more sterile equipment, more (not less) access to safe supply. Bring back decrim, but bigger and better. End so-called "involuntary treatment," i.e. forced abstinence.

This #IOAD, we laid the truth, and our bodies, at the BC Government's feet. #bcpoli #harmreduction

Jay Genaille aka Jay the Hoop Dancer aka Jay the Cree gave an incredible performance at our #IOAD event in #Victoria.

🧵Today, Victoria Council voted 7–1 against a motion to end decriminalization. The motion was misguided. It falsely claimed decriminalization has been “especially harmful” without evidence. In reality, the crisis we face is driven by the toxic, fentanyl-contaminated supply—not decriminalization.

Want to shout out @dsdp.ca, Lisa Lapointe, Dr Perry Kendall (PHO before Dr Henry), PEERS, PHS, BC Poverty Reduction, PEERS, Moms Stop the Harm, individual city residents for writing in asking Council to maintain support of decriminalization. I love y'all.

Loughton concludes with an apology to those families/individuals who took the time to write to Council about this motion while having to grieve over International Overdose Awareness Day. Thompson chimes in again specifically to address disinformation pointing to broader social trends and data.

Moving onto Gardiner's Council Member Motion on the BC exemption by Health Canada from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Gardiner: "Addiction is a health issue. But distribution isn't."

Motion fails with only Gardiner in favour.

"Governments would have to permanently fund any program that benefits vulnerable people." Gee.

More than 18,000 British Columbians have died due to unregulated toxic drugs over the last decade. On Sunday, 100 people gathered at Vancouver’s Oppenheimer Park to mourn and celebrate their lives. #OverdoseAwarenessDay

"'The vast majority of illicit drug toxicity deaths happen when people use alone because there is no one to call 911,'” wrote BCEHS. 'BCEHS stresses the importance of not using alone, going slow.'" You know what would help with not using alone and going slow? #decrim www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/ar...

"We want freedom from the unjust laws, prisons and institutions that remind us of prisons, stigmatizing health care," said Samona Marsh, the president of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU), on Sunday. "We want safe supply and end of prohibition.” www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

ok hear me out what if The Centre for Improving People's Material Conditions was a thing