Drugs

Carolyn Bennett rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, June 10, 2022. Canada’s minister of mental health and addictions says more doctors across the country should be willing to prescribe a safer supply of drugs instead of fearing they will be investigated by their regulatory colleges.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

More doctors across Canada should prescribe safer drugs to reduce overdoses: minister

Physicians who prescribe pharmaceutical-grade alternatives could better support patients: college

 

Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday, May 16, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle

Liberals pressed on whether B.C. drug decriminalization could pave way nationally

House of Commons rejects NDP bill to allow drugs for personal use countrywide

 

B.C. Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Sheila Malcolmson holds a copy of exemption documents in Vancouver on Tuesday, May 31, 2022, after British Columbia was granted authority to decriminalize possession of some hard drugs for personal use. 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Decriminalization of hard drugs puts B.C. in small, select group of jurisdictions

Portugal and a handfull of South American countries among the others to take similar steps

 

Dr. Andrew Bui-Nguyen poses in the treatment room of one the two clinical sites in Montreal, Sunday, May 15, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes.

First patient in Quebec gets approval from Health Canada for magic mushroom therapy

Clinic to become first health-care facility in Quebec to legally treat depression with psilocybin

Dr. Andrew Bui-Nguyen poses in the treatment room of one the two clinical sites in Montreal, Sunday, May 15, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes.
Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley was critical of the UCP’s decision to make changes to the Alberta Seniors Drug Benefit in 2019. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)

UCP removed 40,000 Albertans from drug coverage plan

Change brought Alberta in line with other provinces, health minister says

Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley was critical of the UCP’s decision to make changes to the Alberta Seniors Drug Benefit in 2019. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)
A homeless person uses a portable propane heater to try and stay warm under umbrellas and tarps as rain falls in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, on Sunday, December 13, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Drug users in Vancouver respond to targeted effort to ramp up vaccination rate

‘If you actually make the effort and you put in resources properly, you can do it’

A homeless person uses a portable propane heater to try and stay warm under umbrellas and tarps as rain falls in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, on Sunday, December 13, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Sheila Malcolmson speaks at a press conference in the press gallery at the Legislature in Victoria, Monday, Nov. 1, 2021. B.C.’s mental health and addictions minister said Health Canada is thinking about lowering the threshold for the province’s decriminalization request. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Health Canada mulls lower threshold for drug decriminalization: B.C. minister

Federal government is mulling a 2.5-gram cumulative threshold

Sheila Malcolmson speaks at a press conference in the press gallery at the Legislature in Victoria, Monday, Nov. 1, 2021. B.C.’s mental health and addictions minister said Health Canada is thinking about lowering the threshold for the province’s decriminalization request. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Sheila Malcolmson speaks at a press conference in the press gallery at the Legislature in Victoria, Monday, Nov. 1, 2021. B.C.'s mental health and addictions minister said Health Canada is thinking about lowering the threshold for the province's decriminalization request. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Health Canada mulls lower threshold for drug decriminalization: B.C. minister

Health Canada mulls lower threshold for drug decriminalization: B.C. minister

Sheila Malcolmson speaks at a press conference in the press gallery at the Legislature in Victoria, Monday, Nov. 1, 2021. B.C.'s mental health and addictions minister said Health Canada is thinking about lowering the threshold for the province's decriminalization request. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Sheila Malcolmson speaks during a press conference in the press gallery at the Legislature in Victoria, Monday, Nov. 1, 2021. In the absence of a national policy on personal drug possession, some Canadian jurisdictions have submitted requests for exemptions from criminal penalties for those who carry small amounts of illicit drugs for personal use. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Jurisdictions looking to decriminalize small amounts of drugs to curb overdose deaths

Canadian cities, provinces say decriminalization would help reduce stigma associated with drug use

Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Sheila Malcolmson speaks during a press conference in the press gallery at the Legislature in Victoria, Monday, Nov. 1, 2021. In the absence of a national policy on personal drug possession, some Canadian jurisdictions have submitted requests for exemptions from criminal penalties for those who carry small amounts of illicit drugs for personal use. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
FILE - This Aug. 2, 2018 file photo shows the U.S. Food and Drug Administration building behind FDA logos at a bus stop on the agency's campus in Silver Spring, Md. The Food and Drug Administration has issued a negative review of a closely watched experimental drug for the debilitating illness known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The review comes ahead of a meeting this week for outside experts to vote on the drug for ALS. The drug has been the focal point of a lobbying campaign by patients, their families and lawmakers. FDA reviewers said Monday, March 28, 2022 the single study from Amylyx Pharmaceuticals was “not persuasive” due to missing data, errors in enrolling patients and other problems. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

FDA skeptical of benefits from experimental ALS drug

FDA skeptical of benefits from experimental ALS drug

FILE - This Aug. 2, 2018 file photo shows the U.S. Food and Drug Administration building behind FDA logos at a bus stop on the agency's campus in Silver Spring, Md. The Food and Drug Administration has issued a negative review of a closely watched experimental drug for the debilitating illness known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The review comes ahead of a meeting this week for outside experts to vote on the drug for ALS. The drug has been the focal point of a lobbying campaign by patients, their families and lawmakers. FDA reviewers said Monday, March 28, 2022 the single study from Amylyx Pharmaceuticals was “not persuasive” due to missing data, errors in enrolling patients and other problems. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
(File photo by BLACK PRESS)

Central Alberta police find drugs during traffic stop

Lacombe Police Service search vehicle

(File photo by BLACK PRESS)
Central Alberta RCMP seized drugs, guns and ammunition from a Red Deer County location in early February. (Photo contributed)

Central Alberta RCMP seize drugs and guns

Blackfalds RCMP investigate

Central Alberta RCMP seized drugs, guns and ammunition from a Red Deer County location in early February. (Photo contributed)
New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh responds to a question during a news conference, Dec. 7, 2021 in Ottawa. Singh is preparing to give his backing to a bill decriminalizing the possession of drugs for personal use this week, in a bid to prevent overdoses and toxic drug deaths. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh throws support behind drug decriminalization bill

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh throws support behind drug decriminalization bill

New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh responds to a question during a news conference, Dec. 7, 2021 in Ottawa. Singh is preparing to give his backing to a bill decriminalizing the possession of drugs for personal use this week, in a bid to prevent overdoses and toxic drug deaths. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine from a safe supply being handed out to drug users by the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, Drug User Liberation Front and Moms Stop the Harm to mark International Overdose Awareness Day, are displayed in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, on Tuesday, August 31, 2021. British Columbia’s chief coroner says at least 1,011 people died from suspected illicit drug overdoses from January to June, the highest death toll recorded in the first six months of a calendar year during the province’s overdose crisis. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Alberta police chiefs say too soon to support drug decriminalization

Calgary chief constable says decriminalization alone wouldn’t reduce addiction or overdose rates.

Methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine from a safe supply being handed out to drug users by the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, Drug User Liberation Front and Moms Stop the Harm to mark International Overdose Awareness Day, are displayed in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, on Tuesday, August 31, 2021. British Columbia’s chief coroner says at least 1,011 people died from suspected illicit drug overdoses from January to June, the highest death toll recorded in the first six months of a calendar year during the province’s overdose crisis. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Over $13 million of drugs were seized after multiple searches across Alberta and B.C. by the Calgary Police Service. (Calgary Police Service)

Alberta police seize over $13M of drugs in Kelowna, Beaverdell and Calgary

The Chronfather website is alleged to have illegally sold millions of drugs

Over $13 million of drugs were seized after multiple searches across Alberta and B.C. by the Calgary Police Service. (Calgary Police Service)
Protesters opposed to the proposed Vancouver Model for illicit drug decriminalization march with a trojan horse bearing a photograph of Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart, in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, on Tuesday, May 11, 2021. Advocates are calling on the federal government and the City of Vancouver to halt the march toward possible drug decriminalization in the city, saying the process excludes users and demands a do-over. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Civil society organizations release drug decriminalization platform for Canada

Government bill ‘is a step in the right direction, but doesn’t go far enough’

Protesters opposed to the proposed Vancouver Model for illicit drug decriminalization march with a trojan horse bearing a photograph of Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart, in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, on Tuesday, May 11, 2021. Advocates are calling on the federal government and the City of Vancouver to halt the march toward possible drug decriminalization in the city, saying the process excludes users and demands a do-over. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Wetaskiwin RCMP seized drugs with a street value of $7,500 on Oct. 6. (File photo by Advocate staff)

Central Alberta RCMP seize drugs

Wetaskiwin RCMP execute search

Wetaskiwin RCMP seized drugs with a street value of $7,500 on Oct. 6. (File photo by Advocate staff)
A man prepares heroin to be injected at the Insite safe injection clinic in Vancouver on May 11, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Urgent need in Alberta to address potent drug supply, overdose crisis: health experts

More than 105 people died each month from drug poisoning between May 2020 and April 2021

A man prepares heroin to be injected at the Insite safe injection clinic in Vancouver on May 11, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
A man prepares heroin to be injected at the Insite safe injection clinic in Vancouver on May 11, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Urgent need in Alberta to address potent drug supply, overdose crisis: health experts

Government should be working to get more powerful, tainted opioids off the streets

A man prepares heroin to be injected at the Insite safe injection clinic in Vancouver on May 11, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
On Thursday, Red Deer RCMP showed off the large amount of drugs, and a weapon, seized during a recent investigation. (Photo by SUSAN ZIELINSKI/Advocate staff)

UPDATE: Drugs and semi-automatic weapon seized in Red Deer

Police raid Riverside Meadows residence

On Thursday, Red Deer RCMP showed off the large amount of drugs, and a weapon, seized during a recent investigation. (Photo by SUSAN ZIELINSKI/Advocate staff)