The latest news articles featuring BC Centre on Substance Use.
UBC lab develops new, portable drug-checking device ahead of limited decriminalization
January 24, 2023 | CBC News
A lab at the University of British Columbia is working on new drug-checking technology, including a device they say can identify lower concentrations of drug components. Sara Guzman, a graduate student working at UBC’s Hein Lab, is helping test a new, portable version of high-performance liqui...
Incentivizing treatment for addiction could be more effective than mandating
January 18, 2023 | Globe and Mail
British Columbia recently suggested new policy for involuntary mental-health treatment. It is a large pivot on its previous stance but it does not end there. In Premier David Eby’s examination of the Mental Health Act for involuntary treatment, he is considering expanding to mandate treatment fo...
B.C.’s drug decriminalization pilot excludes young users — and that will marginalize them, experts fear
January 14, 2023 | CBC News
Experts say an upcoming pilot to decriminalize possession of small amounts of illicit drugs in British Columbia could increase risks for vulnerable youth because it excludes people under 18. As of Jan. 31, people aged 18 and older will be able to possess up to a cumulative 2.5 grams of opioids, ...
Animal tranquillizer xylazine is now in Canada’s street drug supply. Here’s what to know
January 13, 2023 | Global News
A powerful animal tranquillizer that has been infiltrating street drugs in the United States has been increasingly showing up in Canada’s illicit opioid supply — a phenomenon that has experts “deeply concerned.” Xylazine, a sedative and analgesic normally used in veterinary medicine to sed...
DTES advocates say police near overdose prevention sites deter people from accessing care
January 12, 2023 | CTV News Vancouver
Advocates for people who use drugs say the police presence near overdose prevention sites on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside is deterring people from accessing life-saving care due to the lack of trust between law enforcement and the community. BeeLee Lee, the vice president of the Coalition of ...
