Canadian province kills more than Covid-19 | Community

British Columbia is central Wave of excessive magnitude Has been attacking Canada since 2016, mainly opiates. For this reason a 19.4 death rate per 100,000 population is provided in the first months of 2021, while the province located on the Pacific coast recorded 40.4. And the picture is only getting worse. The Forensic Services Office released figures confirming this on Thursday. Last October was the most dangerous month, with data available: 201 dead. For its part, between January and October 2021, 1,782 deaths were recorded; A new annual mark though includes only 10 months.

“The crisis is getting worse. Drug trafficking has become more toxic,” said Lisa Lapoint, the state’s chief coroner at a news conference. He added that the problem of suicide was the leading cause of unnatural death in the Canadian province, with about 80% of the dead being men and 71% of the victims between the ages of 30 and 59.

British Columbia has been in emergency health care since April 2016 due to this disaster. More than 8,500 people have died from overdose. By comparison, there are 2,370 deaths from Govt-19 in the province today. “With all the mobilization we have seen in other health emergencies, it is difficult to understand why this crisis has not been treated,” Labyrinth stressed. Sheila Malcolm, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, said: “Everyone in this province knows who lost their lives to the poisoning of illicit drugs. I’m so sorry for every loss. “

Like the United States, the In fentanyl It is the leading culprit in deaths: it is associated with 84% of all deaths this year. Malcolmson recalled that the province is struggling on many fronts, but efforts need to be redoubled. British Columbia licenses for infusion sites (the first of its kind in North America opened in Vancouver in 2003). Social workers dispense naloxone – a drug that modifies opioid overdose – and some doctors prescribe heroin to drug addicts who do not respond to traditional therapies. The province announced in April that it would invest $ 330 million (US $ 260 million) to increase enslavement services; 152 million has been earmarked specifically for opiates.

Lisa Lapointe said there was a need to increase these supports, but additional steps were needed. “As long as people continue to depend on the unregulated, illegal and non-profit market, their lives will be in danger. The only solution is to provide a safe supply for drug addicts,” he added. “The current situation is no longer acceptable. Colombia became the first province to ask the federal government to decriminalize simple drug possession.

Under the Restricted Drugs and Substances Act, provincial officials submitted this request to the Canadian Ministry of Health. In the document, it was requested that a maximum of 4.5 grams (heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, crack, cocaine) be kept for personal use and no penalty be imposed. Instead of being arrested or fined, individuals will receive information about access to support services. The Toronto and Montreal Public Health Offices have been recommending similar measures for more than a year. The Canadian Police Chiefs Association is pointing in the same direction. The Canadian Ministry of Health has not yet ruled on the request of the British Colombian government.

In October 2018, Canada ranked second in the world To legalize cannabis for recreational use (after melting). This is one of the most important initiatives of the Justin Trudeau government. In September 2020, the Prime Minister said that devaluation did not seem to be the right response to the opioid crisis. “In a crisis like this, there is no silver bullet,” he said. However he acknowledged that their numbers were not enough to defeat Trump’s bid for a part-time election.

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