The latest news articles featuring BC Centre on Substance Use.
How St. Paul’s Tackles the Overdose Crisis, One Patient at a Time
November 13, 2020 | The Tyee
As pandemic restrictions brought increased isolation for many people, one Vancouver woman was emerging from years of loneliness. Injured years ago, and living with chronic pain, she was dealing with debilitating side-effects from her opioid pain medications that made her anxious about leaving home. ...
Popular anti-anxiety medications need stronger warning labels, Health Canada says
October 30, 2020 | CBC News
Health Canada has asked pharmaceutical companies to put stronger safety labels on benzodiazepines and other sedative drugs prescribed for sleep and anxiety disorder to better reflect their serious risks. Doctors have long prescribed benzodiazepines such as lorazepam (brand name Ativan), alprazolam...
In continuing opioid crisis, cannabis can’t be overlooked as a life-saving measure
October 28, 2020 | The Hill Times
Long derided as a gateway to so-called hard drug use, recent scientific findings have raised the possibility that cannabis might be an off-ramp from the overdose crisis…...
Non-profit evicted for providing DTES residents cannabis as harm reduction means
October 28, 2020 | Vancouver Is Awesome
Vancouver City council promised to consider making cannabis easier to come by for Downtown Eastside residents to help curb opiate use during a burgeoning overdose crisis. Last summer, the mayor and council asked staff to devise feasible solutions. This meant addressing cost and accessibility barr...
Here’s what B.C.’s parties promise on the overdose crisis
October 05, 2020 | North Shore News
Substance use experts and advocates are hoping to see political parties make bold and immediate campaign commitments to curb surging overdose deaths in British Columbia. “People don’t want people to die, but at the same time, people are still dying,” said Sarah Blyth, founder of the Overdose P...
