Ex-BC Coroner Testifies about Failures to Prevent Toxic Drug Deaths

published on December 17, 2025 by Michelle Gamage in The Tyee

British Columbia’s shortfalls in its response to the unregulated toxic drug crisis were strongly criticized during the first three weeks of the Drug User Liberation Front’s constitutional challenge.

Compassion club co-founders Jeremy Kalicum and Eris Nyx are in court arguing the criminalization of their club violated members’ Charter rights.

The Charter’s Section 7 prohibits the state from depriving people of their rights to life, liberty and security of the person, and Section 15 says all people must be treated equally and have equal protection and benefit from the law.

To lay out that argument to Justice Catherine Murray, DULF lawyers Tim Dickson, Stephanie Dickson and Kaelan Unrau called several medical, pharmaceutical and public health experts to the stand…