The latest news articles featuring BC Centre on Substance Use.
Decriminalization begins in B.C. as coroners service releases overdose death data
January 31, 2023 | Toronto Star
VANCOUVER – Decriminalization of people with small amounts of illegal drugs for their own use has become a reality in British Columbia, but substance users and researchers say the change is expected to make little immediate difference because of a toxic drug supply. The policy shift began Tues...
B.C.’s drug decriminalization plan falls short: expert
January 30, 2023 | CityNews Vancouver
As B.C. gets set to decriminalize small amounts of certain drugs, some experts continue to question the province’s plan, saying it doesn’t go far enough. Dr. Thomas Kerr, director of research at the BC Centre on Substance Use, says the idea of decriminalization is a good one but he adds the pol...
B.C. drug law exemption could cut seizures of some drugs in half
January 26, 2023 | Vancouver Sun
Vancouver police seized hundreds of kilograms of illicit drugs in recent years, but they were often just one or two grams at a time. A Postmedia analysis of more than 15,000 drugs seized from July 2020 to July 2022 found that big busts were relatively rare. The typical amount was less than two g...
South Asian community health workers welcome new low-risk alcohol guidance
January 26, 2023 | Toronto Star
A doctor who treats addiction at a clinic specifically for South Asian patients says Canada’s new guidance on alcohol bolsters his efforts to convey the message about associated harms to a community that is at higher risk for conditions such as heart disease. “I’m really happy to finally hear ...
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...
