opioid crisis
Decriminalization alone will never be enough
March 24, 2025By: Nolan Steuart, SFU Student If you truly care about the betterment of society and saving lives, then you’ll agree BC’s adjustment to their previous drug decriminalization program was a step backward. In May 2024, the provincial government made changes to the drug decriminalization pilot project for the worse. The 2023 program allowed individuals to hold up to 2.5 grams of certain drugs (cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, and opioids) without risk of being arrested, charged, or having their drugs seized. The latest changes made by the provincial government allow police to ask users to leave spaces that aren’t private residences, seize…
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2023 — A Year in Review
January 12, 2024By: Eden Chipperfield & Olivia Sherman TSSU Strikes for improving working conditions, June–October Learn more: The TSSU Strike Vote: A Timeline of Events TSSU members form picket line in labour action SFU’s response to the TSSU picket lines has been…
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Discussing BC’s new drug decriminalization bill
November 9, 2023By: Eden Chipperfield, News Writer Content warning: mentions of substance-use and related deaths. In January of this year, Health Canada announced an exemption to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. The Controlled Drugs and Substances Act aims to address the…
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BC Coroners Service report shows increasing concern over drug-related deaths
September 26, 2023By: Eden Chipperfield, News Writer Content warning: this article refers to substance-related deaths. July was a critical month for British Columbians, as outlined in the BC Coroners Service’s data report on deaths involving hazardous substances from August 22. The report…
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Local advocate talks dispelling drug stigma
September 12, 2023By: Olivia Sherman, News Writer For Nicole Luongo, substances like alcohol and heroin are only separated by the thin line of what society deems moral or legal. Luongo is a systems change coordinator for the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition (CDPC),…
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SFU alum addresses the opioid crisis with new life-saving technology
June 9, 2023By: Eden Chipperfield, News Writer Content warning: substance abuse and death caused by drug overdose. Alex McGovern, a SFU alum, is building a new device that will change the climate of the opioid crisis with harm-reduction solutions. With a degree…
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VANDU criticizes Vancouver’s new drug policy, says it is not enough
February 21, 2023By: Aditi Dwivedi, News Writer The BC government was granted an exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act by Health Canada, to decriminalize the possession of certain illegal drugs from January 31, 2023 to January 31, 2026. The decriminalization…
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Harm reduction advocate proposes incentivized rehabilitation
January 16, 2023By: Natalie Cooke, News Writer Guy Felicella, a recovery advocate, and Dr. Monty Ghosh, an addiction physician, are proposing a plan to offer a stipend of $20 a day for people to enter a 90-day rehabilitation facility. Felicella explained that…
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Call for greater actions on International Overdose Awareness Day
September 19, 2022By: Pranjali J Mann, News Writer International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD), marked on August 31, recognizes the global effect of drug overdose and commemorates those who lost their lives. The campaign was initiated by Sally J. Finn in Melbourne in…
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Community organisations put out a call to action to protect women amidst housing crisis
September 12, 2022By: Chloë Arneson, News Writer Content warning: This article mentions acts of gender-based violence and violence against Indigenous peoples. On August 16, several organisations published a joint press release titled, “Women are not acceptable casualties in the response to the…
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