With Albertans continuing to die from opioid overdoses at an increased and alarming rate, the newly announced Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy is welcome news.
With Albertans continuing to die from opioid overdoses at an increased and alarming rate, the newly announced Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy is welcome news.
Introduced last week, Bill C-37 would make changes to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Canadian Customs Act and the Proceeds of Crime and Terrorist Finances Act.
One result would be an easing of the regulations and rules around the setting up of safe drug injection sites.
The second part of the strategy would see the Canada Border Services Agency given new powers to intercept drug shipments from overseas.
Whether the new strategy will lead to a downward trend in the number of overdoses remains to be seen.
What is known is that doing nothing to address the frightful rise in illegal opioid proliferation would be helpful to no one – except, of course, the organized criminals who are behind the current opioid crisis.
Health Minister Jane Philpott says the new strategy will save lives by letting health officials play a larger role in the drug fight.
Brandy Payne, Alberta's associate minister of health, says the changes are needed and welcome.
"We agree this crisis needs to be addressed first and foremost as a public health crisis and we are pleased the federal government shares that approach," said Payne. "These programs are crucial in saving lives and reducing the toll opioid abuse has on Alberta families and communities."
Kathleen Ganley, Alberta's minister of justice and solicitor general, added: "We also support increasing the authority of the Canada Border Services Agency to inspect more shipments coming into Canada. Giving our law enforcement partners added tools to combat the flow of illegal drugs at the border will also help Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) carry out its work protecting Albertans."
More than 3,000 Canadians, including hundreds of Albertans, will die from fentanyl and other opioid overdoses this year. Hopefully this new strategy will help save lives in 2017.
Dan Singleton is the Mountain View Gazette editor
