“this week, 49.7% (79/153) of samples checked were as expected”

that’s why we must replace the entire illicit drug supply with regulated substances accessible to all 14,500 people have died from the unregulated supply and more people will unless we do this

obviously these platforms from the B-Cons, B-cups and BCNDP are not acceptable to “us” but what about the public? what political parties want is *power* they need VOTES for that what do these “solutions” do for the general public? the emergency will continue to get worse.

I expect that the provincial mortality rate will wane and surge – unpredictably, obviously, because people will be dying from the unregulated and therefore unpredictable and increasingly volatile drug supply.

no, not “expect”. I guarantee that future.

its going to be awful. nobody wants that.

its our responsibility as citizens – as humans – to insist that governments make policy for the future, not for what could have happened or what we wish would have happened, but for the future that we need.

they havent been doing that. an election campaign – when everything is up in the air – is an opportunity to change that

this isn’t theory, this isn’t abstract. British Columbia’s provincial election is October 19. the voters are your friends and neighbours. they matter more than any candidate does all summer long. and those three provincial political parties know that too.

that number of days is our window of opportunity to change everything: the public discussion, the policy trajectory, the way people think about the emergency. Everything.

goal 1: help the public understand that the solutions currently offered are not solutions at all, but a guarantee of a forever emergency because the root cause is the unregulated supply

action 1: write a letter to the editor of your papers.

below are links to several sites with data and reports about drug checking in B.C. – which means, you can find some information about your local drug supply. describe it. that is the first paragraph of your letter.

second paragraph: what a mess. the supply isn’t going to stabilize itself.

third paragraph: lets face facts. 100,000 or so British Columbians probably have an Opioid Use Disorder. 225,000 British Columbians use unregulated drugs. That’s 5% of the population of our province. That’s FIVE PERCENT of US. these percentages are steady over time. there’s no finite number drug users because people have always used drugs and people always will.

4: but nobody wants this terrible emergency to continue.

5: if it was cantaloupes that caused fatal diarrhoea or oysters that caused instant cancer or cough syrup that was made with acid or baby strollers that burst into flames when you put a baby in them – well, such products don’t exist because the government ensures consumer safety by regulating the marketplace.

but not for banned substances. does that cancel the government’s obligation to ensure consumer safety? DOES IT?

if it does, the emergency and the deaths will continue. forever.

if it doesn’t, we must change our approach.

we must replace the entire illicit drug supply with regulated substances accessible to all.

(use exactly this sentence at the end as your closing.)

that’s all. done.

we have lots more to say. we have time.

we will say it all clearly, deliberately, and together. so we’re heard.

post your letter in the comments when its published.

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