While the province declared a state of emergency over the drug epidemic, people are still dying at an alarming rate. There are places people can go to check for fentanyl in their substances; however, it hasn’t slowed down the crisis. Not only are the numbers not slowing down, but they continue to rise.
Indeed, there were more deaths from fentanyl in the first 8 months of 2017 than in all of 2016 combined.In an effort to combat the crisis, the government has considered implementing manslaughter charges to fentanyl dealers.
Now, public health officials are proposing that vending machines carrying opioids could help reduce the rate of drug related deaths in the province. While controversial, the idea has a great deal of support behind it.
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Opioid Vending Machines in BC
The plan is set to commence in spring of 2018, when officials will install machines dispensing hydromorphone pills. These pills are a viable alternative to toxic street drugs, because they are controlled substances that prevent overdose.
“The pills are cheap, at a cost of 32 cents each. A typical user would crush, dissolve and inject the drug three times a day. Access to the pills would be controlled through assessment of drug dependency and with limits on the number of pills dispensed each day,” reports CBC News.
#Vancouver is proposing opioid vending machines to combat the drug epidemic. https://t.co/8tJu1QTzoF
Do you think it’s a good idea?
— 604 Now (@604Now) December 21, 2017
