Canadian youth can now get ‘safer supply’ doses of fentanyl from the gov’t

[KARAH RUCKER]

IN CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK THEY’RE KNOWN AS “SAFE INJECTION SITES.”

IN CANADA THEY’RE CALLED “SAFER SUPPLY PROGRAMS”.

IT’S WHERE RESIDENTS CAN GO AND LEGALLY USE ILLEGAL DRUGS.

AT SOME CENTERS – THE ILLICIT DRUGS ARE PROVIDED FOR YOU.

THE BRITISH COLUMBIA IS NOW BEING CRITICIZED FOR HAVING FENTANYL ON THE MENU OF DRUGS AVAILABLE AND FOR ALLOWING MINORS TO TAKE PART – SEEMINGLY WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT.

THAT IS ACCORDING TO AN ADVOCACY GROUP WHO REVIEWED THE “PRESCRIBED SAFER SUPPLY PROTOCOLS” LATEST GUIDANCE.

IN ITS FENTANYL PROGRAM –

TO QUALIFY, SOMEONE MUST BE AN ACTIVE USER OF UNREGULATED FENTANYL AND BE AT HIGH RISK OF OVERDOSE.

FOR MINORS WANTING TO PARTICIPATE – ITS **RECOMMENDED THAT PRESCRIBERS ON SITE GET A SECOND PRESCRIBER’S OPINION BEFORE HANDING OVER A LOW DOSE FENTANYL TABLET.

IN ITS GUIDANCE, THERE IS NO SECTION WHERE A PRESCRIBER WOULD NEED TO REQUIRE PARENTAL CONSENT.

AND IT DOESN’T SPECIFY A MINIMUM AGE FOR CLIENTS.

BUT UNDER THE “PRECAUTIONS” SECTION OF THE PROGRAM GUIDANCE –

A PRESCRIBER IS REQUIRED TO DOCUMENT THEIR DECISION TO GIVE A MINOR FENTANYL.

THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM?

TO PROMOTE A SAFE SPACE WHERE PEOPLE ALREADY USING DRUGS CAN BE MONITORED BY HEALTH OFFICIALS TO PREVENT DRUG OVERDOSES AND SAVE LIVES.

AN ADVOCACY GROUP IN CANADA OPPOSED TO THE PROGRAM PUBLISHED A REPORT –

CALLING THE INITIATIVE “RECKLESS.”

THE REPORT’S CONCLUSION SAID

“Governments have a duty to provide evidence-based treatment to vulnerable citizens and consider collateral harms to others. Rather than fulfill this duty, the BC government is committing to risky and highly experimental interventions that lack an appropriate evidence base.