With the FIFA World Cup less than 100 days away, fans are being urged to be mindful of the toxic drugs circulating in Vancouver.
Dr. Paxton Bach, an addiction medicine physician at the city’s St. Paul’s Hospital, says visitors are likely unaware of the potency of the city’s drug supply.
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“The current unregulated drug supply in B.C. that includes opioids and other substances is just unbelievably potent and unpredictable in a way that we have never seen before,” he told 1130 NewsRadio.
“That’s going to be very foreign to people who are coming from other settings, from other countries or continents.”
He notes this issue is not unique to Vancouver, yet it may catch some visitors off guard.
“North America is experiencing an overdose crisis related to fentanyl and other potent opioid analogues,” Bach explained, who is also the co-medical director for the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use.
“I would suggest that this messaging around being safe and taking care of this world-class event applies to any and all of the host cities across North America.”
He advises visitors and volunteers to be prepared in order to allow for a joyful celebration for everybody.
“To be really careful, to recognize the potential for danger, to make sure that there’s a plan in place, that people have access to a Narcan kit,” he said.
“So that we have a really successful and enjoyable event and everyone stays safe and has fun.”
The non-profit organization Good Night Out Vancouver agrees with Bach and says it is planning to run a campaign to make visitors aware of the issue.
“Locals are very aware that the illicit drug supply is very toxic here, and I think it’s important to raise concerns that visitors might not have that information or the information to reduce their risk,” Stacey Forrester, the organization’s education director, said.
“So, we’re going to have posters and postcards and stickers and really try to use messaging that speaks to the occasional or social user to alert them to the risk and tools to reduce that risk.”
Forrester says that preparation is the best way to deal with the illicit drug crisis.
“Across our teams, we see one to two overdoses a month, so it’s not as common for us as it is in the Downtown Eastside, but last weekend we dealt with two, so it is important to exercise caution as we are expecting visitors to Vancouver.”
April 14 will mark 10 years since the province declared the toxic drug crisis a public health emergency.
– With files from Joe Sadowski
