A supervised consumption site in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, in 2021. B.C. has decriminalized simple possession of drugs, including methamphetamines and opioids.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
As British Columbia begins a new era in drug policy, the drug poisoning crisis continues without an end in sight.
Naloxone can prevent deaths from opioid overdose, but there is no way to reverse the effects of benzodiazepine overdose without risk.
(THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward)
Fentanyl adulteration led to the replacement of heroin in the unregulated drug supply of British Columbia. Now that benzodiazepines are present in many opioids, are we headed towards a ‘new normal?’
Xanax, sold generically as alprazolam, is a popular drug to treat anxiety – and to sell on the street.
PureRadiancePhoto/Shutterstock.com
Benzodiazepines, or benzos, are some of the most widely prescribed drugs in the US. They are meant to be used only short-term, but thousands use them long-term. That’s a big worry.