Victoria addiction treatment and recovery options are limited, creating gaps in care

published on February 25, 2023 by Hollie Ferguson in Victoria News

People who use drugs are facing barriers to treatment when seeking recovery – many have been around for years while others cropped up during COVID-19.

With over 2,272 suspected illicit drug toxicity deaths in British Columbia, 2022 had the second-highest illicit drug death rate ever recorded, according to the BC Coroners Service.

The supply of illicit drugs is growing increasingly toxic as they are mixed with such compounds as fentanyl and etizolam – the latter of which is not responsive to naloxone, the medication used to reverse the effects of an overdose.

These dangerous compounds lurking in an unchecked supply are only exacerbating the need for more harm reduction and better access to addiction care, says Guy Felicella, a Vancouver-based advocate who credits harm reduction like drug checking and safe-use spaces for saving his life…