"He also said that the rise of nitazenes reflects a larger problem with unregulated drugs. “As long as it’s unregulated, there’s going to continue to be volatility in it,” he said...he stressed the importance of regulation and expanding safer supply as interventions to make substances ... safer."

"Herriot worries someone seeking a relatively low-potency opioid will end up with nitazenes instead. “It would actually worry me less if it was being sold as fentanyl."

Do some of these places help people? Maybe. But we literally don't know without robust, comprehensive outcome reporting, including long-term follow-up.

As it stands, the scientific evidence is much stronger in support of Opioid Agonist Therapy and counselling delivered in community.

We would love to be put in touch if anyone knows who this is. 👏

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.”

"Cheah said he didn’t speak with Vancouver Coastal Health during the investigation and wasn’t aware of the exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act."

"[Current @vicpd.bsky.social Chief] Wilson even followed DULF on Twitter and said in an email to Kalicum that she takes an interest in anything that can be done legally to save lives."

"DeBeck said research showed that more treatment alone would not solve the issue of public drug use, saying a safer supply and alternatives to toxic drugs would help."

"When we push them into an involuntary treatment setting, their tolerance for opiates goes down," she said.

"And if they have a relapse, they're much more likely to to die."

Kora DeBeck, a professor at Simon Fraser University's school of public policy, said she welcomed the funding — but that pushing someone into involuntary care against their will is ineffective.

"We understand that municipalities may be frustrated, but the question again is, 'Did we create the conditions where all of us can thrive?'" Larkin said.

"And if the answer is 'No,' we should not be blaming the people who are suffering."