Just in the month of July, 175 people died from overdoses

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Another disturbing record was set in the ongoing overdose crisis in BC. 175 people died from overdoses in July. It's the third straight month that overdose deaths have topped 100. In Nanaimo, four people died from overdoses in July, bringing this year's total to 24 deaths. That's just three shy of the total number of overdose deaths in Nanaimo for all of 2019. Part of BC's response to the overdose crisis has been to give physicians the ability to prescribe safe alternatives like hydromorphone. Those efforts have been stymied because of the reluctance by most physicians to write those prescriptions. BC's provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry says the province is exploring other options.
"We're also looking at how we can ensure that there are appropriate protocols in place so that other prescribers other than physicians who may be more accessible to people in the community are able to provide people who need it with pharmaceutical alternatives to the street drug supply and we're looking to expand that as fast as we can." —Dr. Bonnie Henry
Another problem is the type of alternative drugs offered. Hydromorphone is not a good substitute for users of cocaine or methamphetamines. Henry says there are hurdles to adding other alternative drugs.
"We are also expanding that to look at injectable hydromorphone and other opiods that ppl need. The challenge we have with prescription heroin is that it's not readily available in Canada but we are looking at how we can do that." —Dr. Bonnie Henry
Harm reduction advocates say the province needs to add pharmaceutical-grade fentanyl to that alternative drug supply. However, it would be up to Health Canada for approval.
The Victoria man who was fined $2300 dollars for violating COVID-19 party rules last weekend says he plans to fight the ticket. 20-year-old Nate Christian told CHEK news he gave everyone hand sanitizer and took everyone's name down. He says some guests wore masks but Christian admits the only rule he failed to follow was the one about physical distancing. police say they fined Christian after two warnings and when they entered his one-bedroom apartment, they found the windows fogged up and 30 guests sweating from being in such a confined space.