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Should Fentanyl Dealers Be Charged With Manslaughter in BC?

Fentanyl

Photo: Dennis Yip / Flickr

Fentanyl is one of the most lethal substances to ever hit the streets of Vancouver, claiming 1,013 lives between January and August of 2017 alone.

In fact, more people have died from overdose during this eight month period than in all of 2016 combined. Statistics indicate that fentanyl was found in over 80 percent of all these drug related deaths, and the numbers continue to rise.

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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, but it hasn’t slowed down the crisis.Not only are the numbers not slowing down, but they continue to rise.

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Punishment for Dealing Fentanyl

With such a potent substance claiming lives everyday, many people believe fentanyl dealers should have more severe punishments.

CBC quoted B.C. Solicitor General Mike Farnworth who said that, “We strongly believe that if you’re dealing fentanyl, you’re dealing death, and you should be facing much more severe penalties such as manslaughter charge.”

Other jurisdictions in Canada, such as Ontario, have already instituted a manslaughter penalty for people who deal the substance; however, not all experts believe this is the best way to combat the issue.

Many addictions workers and researchers believe that the drug epidemic should be treated as a health care problem rather than a criminal one.

How do you think that the government should handle the current fentanyl crisis? Do you think dealers of the substance should be charged with manslaughter, or should the issue be treated as a health care problem?

Sound off in the comments below!

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