More than words needed to reduce toxic drug use

The statement was a response to news that the BC government has rejected a report suggesting easier access to legally provided drugs will reduce the number of people dying from street drugs.

“Our end-goal should not be to provide greater access to a safer supply of hard drugs but rather to decrease the number of British Columbians using those drugs in the first place,” says Jess Ketchum, co-founder, SOS. “Our primary goal should first be to reduce the number of people using hard drugs and that means robust prevention programming. Secondly, we need to provide a comprehensive continuum of care for those people unfortunate enough to be living with these health issues, so they can return to their families and communities with purpose in their lives. Sadly, that is a goal this provincial government is better at talking about than delivering.”

The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce is one of the founding members of the SOS Coalition. We continue to advocate for safe communities, including through increased investment in accessible treatment for people facing mental health and addiction challenges.