[GGG]

Originally Posted by chemgear

More news and updates on the safe supply diversion problem (BC and Canada).


https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...iver-1.7234296

Warrant reveals details behind B.C. safe-supply pill seizure

Four people now face charges of drug trafficking in association with the bust — with one count specifically accusing them of dealing hydromorphone, the substance handed out as safe supply.

"It's never 'safe' when it's in the hands of drug dealers," says Chief Ronnie Chickite, leader of the We Wai Kai's roughly 1,100 members.

"It just shows you that it's not a safe supply. I think the program had intentions, but it's obviously failed. ... I know the government officials see it different, but this is how we're seeing it as a nation of our size. And seeing the amount that was there, I mean it's unfortunate, but it's not the system we need."

Campbell River RCMP entered the fray in February by announcing the seizure of 3,500 pills of Dilaudid — a brand name for hydromorphone — during a bust on the We Wai Kai First Nation.



CBC News: How taxpayer-funded drugs meant to help solve the opioid crisis ended up on the street

https://twitter.com/user/status/1794010820688409066


https://globalnews.ca/news/10624800/...london-police/

Diversion of safe supply drugs makes up majority of seized opioids: London police

A major issue that police and community health prescribers are tackling is the diversion of Dilaudid prescribed from safe supply programs found in these seizures as an unintended consequence of that program. Dilaudid is prescribed in opioid-replacement programs to help patients move away from street-level opioids where most overdoses occur due to unknown drug composition, and towards a consistent, safe dose of prescribed medication.

However, patients are using their take-home prescriptions of Dilaudid as currency to purchase stronger opioids like fentanyl and carfentanil.

“So far in 2023, we’ve seized just over 12,000 hydromorphone tablets, the overwhelming majority of which, meaning all but 675, was in Dilaudid 8-mg form,” says Dept. Police Chief Paul Bastien.

“We have found direct evidence linking Dilaudid 8-mg seizures to safe supply. In 26 separate cases, we obtained direct evidence of diversion in the form of packaging or labelling.”

In 2019, London police seized approximately 850 hydromorphone tablets, 75 or 10 per cent were Dilaudid 8 mg. In 2023, they seized 30,000 hydromorphone tablets with 15,000 being Dilaudid 8 mg. So far in 2024, police report just over 12,000 hydromorphone tablets seized with all but 675 being Dilaudid.

So you think they are increasing the number of users or displacing fentanyl with pharmaceutical? If it is displacing fentanyl then the safe supply being fenced is actually a good thing from a harm reduction standpoint.