substance use
“Science lost to fear”: BC’s halted drug decriminalization program
February 16, 2026By: Olivia Sherman, Peak Associate In January 2026, the BC government announced their drug decriminalization policy “has not delivered the results we hoped for” and that the province would not seek renewal from the federal government. The three-year pilot program, an exemption to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA), began in 2023 and allowed adults over 18 to carry a cumulative 2.5 grams of illicit drugs, such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and opioids, without police confiscation or seizures. As drug deaths increased through the province, it was intended to treat substance use and addiction as a health issue and not…
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Canada is too hasty to expand MAiD
November 16, 2023By: Hailey Miller, Staff Writer Content warning: mentions of ableism, death, Medical Assistance in Dying, substance use. In June 2016, Canada introduced Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD). It provides medically-assisted death for those with chronic, terminal health conditions and patients…
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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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New initiative opens to support mental health and substance recovery
May 18, 2023By: Eden Chipperfield, News Writer On May 2, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) of North and West Vancouver hosted a Consumer Involvement and Initiatives Program at the Segal Centre to celebrate the opening of the Recovery College YVR. This…
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The Scared Straight Tour endangers people who use substances
July 3, 2021by Carter Hemion, Staff Writer Content warning: mentions of drug use, overdose, stereotypes against unhoused peoples, and violence against Indigenous communities From 2003 to June 2021, a program called the Scared Straight Tour made the Downtown Eastside a living tourist…
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