Debate Over Safe Supply Ignited by Drug Seizures in Prince George RCMP Operation

The Prince George RCMP reported the confiscation of thousands of prescription drug pills in two separate local investigations, some of which were diverted from British Columbia’s safe supply program.

The announcement drew attention from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who addressed the issue during a Friday appearance at a Greater Vancouver Board of Trade (GVBOT) event. Poilievre criticized the use of Canadian tax dollars to facilitate organized criminals’ access to prescribed drugs and pledged to take action against it.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith also weighed in on the Prince George seizures, expressing concerns about drugs diverted from B.C.’s program potentially causing harm in her province.

Meanwhile, advocates for the safe supply program defended their efforts to provide safer drugs for users, arguing that it offers an alternative to the toxic, illicit drug supply that has contributed to thousands of deaths in B.C. since the declaration of a public health emergency in 2016.

Cpl. Jennifer Cooper of the Prince George RCMP reported that in one instance, investigators confiscated over 10,000 individual pills. These included the opioid painkiller hydromorphone, often prescribed to drug users, as well as the common prescription opioid codeine, dextroamphetamine used in treating attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy, and gabapentin used for partial seizures and nerve pain.

According to Cooper, the seized prescription drugs were discovered alongside suspected fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. In a separate investigation, law enforcement seized cocaine and methamphetamine, along with thousands more prescription pills. Among the prescription drugs seized were opioids like oxycodone and morphine, as well as additional hydromorphone.

Cooper said police have been noticing an “alarming trend” where safe supply drugs are diverted from the program by organized crime groups, with some sold outside the province.

In the past year, a staggering 2,511 individuals in British Columbia lost their lives due to unregulated drugs—an average of nearly seven deaths daily. This figure marks a five per cent rise from the previous peak of 2,383 deaths recorded in 2022.

In response, health officials have initiated a safe supply program within the province to mitigate these fatalities. However, according to provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, there’s a pressing need to expand the program.

Presently, the safe supply initiative caters to less than four per cent of the province’s estimated 115,000 individuals grappling with opioid use disorder.