Tackling the overdose crisis

John Horgan and the BC NDP will take bold action to tackle the opioid crisis and get families and people with addictions the fast support they need. This will include:

• Establishing a province-wide strategy to ensure the widest possible availability of life-saving naloxone kits with people trained to use them.
• Enabling police efforts to disrupt the supply chain, break up major drug rings and send the perpetrators to trial.
• Advocating for increased penalties for drug dealers who knowingly distribute death-dealing drugs like fentanyl and carfentanil.
• Creating a special initiative with First Nations leaders and their communities to provide additional assistance where the impact of the crisis is greatest.
• Increasing support for first responders, including counselling for PTSD and work-related stress.

End Prohibition and Let Police Focus on Real Crimes

BC is experiencing an epidemic with fentanyl and other powerful opioids that is claiming hundreds of lives. It's also tying up emergency responders, making it harder for everyone to get an ambulance when they need one. All options need to be on the table when dealing with a crisis like this, and decriminalization is a key part of the solution. By confronting this as a health issue instead of a criminal issue, we will discover new ways to reduce harm, encourage treatment of addictions, and make our communities safer. And eliminating victimless crime from the police’s mandate we allow police departments to focus their limited resources on catching real criminals (those who assault people or steal their stuff). Exclude the enforcement of victimless crimes from the provincial Police Services Agreement

Stop funding injection sites

Crack down on pushers of opioids, fentanyl, etc. Re-open mental health institutions for those who cannot break the cycle of drug addiction. Stop enabling further dependancies.

FOCUS ON DRUG CRISIS, ADDICTIONS & MENTAL HEALTH

BC’s new political party, the BC Citizens First Party, today announced a comprehensive program to immediately address the current opioid drug crisis, as well as a singular focus on addiction, mental health and the homeless.