A new, debilitating psychiatric condition has been identified today by the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition. Sadly this condition – dubbed “Drug Policy Abuse” – affects a great…
Canada is ignoring easy, ways to prevent overdose deaths…
This article first appeared as an op-ed in the National Post, October 22, 2014 A particularly potent batch of heroin recently resulted in 31 overdoses at Vancouver’s…
Taking Control: Pathways to Drug Policies that Work
Today, the Global Commission on Drug Policy releases Taking Control: Pathways to Drug Policies that Work. The report calls on governments to rethink global drug policy, to…
Preventing music-festival drug deaths must go beyond saying ‘just say no’
This article first appeared as an op-ed in the National Post, August 20, 2014 It’s summertime, so we can count on this unfortunate fact: Young Canadians will…
Cannabis, Cannabis Everywhere
It’s a busy time for all things cannabis. Easily the most high profile developments are the legalization of recreational use in Colorado and Washington in the US….
It’s easy and it saves lives: Opioid overdose prevention & response in Canada
In 2013, 308 people lost their lives due to illicit drug overdoses in BC alone. The worst part? Drug-related deaths from opiate overdose are entirely preventable. And…
A gift to the drug kingpins: and the need for a North American Drug Policy Agreement
This article first appeared as an op-ed in the National Post, April 21, 2014 We know the stories. Hockey bags that go south full of B.C. bud…
To ticket or not to ticket – Conservatives take a tiny step on cannabis
For a split second, the door to drug policy reform in Canada opened ever so slightly. But then Justice Minister Peter MacKay was quick to slam it…
Harm Reduction Comes of Age in Canada, or Does It?
This post first appeared in the Centre for Addictions Research of BC’s blog Matters of Substance. The Supreme Court of Canada’s September 2011 decision allowing Vancouver’s supervised…