BC to Implement Supervised Drug Use for “Safer Supply” Users in Effort to Reduce Opioid Misuse

February 20, 2025 TruthUSA

British Columbia has discontinued its take-home “safer supply” model, now mandating that opioid recipients consume their prescriptions under medical supervision to prevent them from being diverted to organized crime networks.

B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne announced the changes in a Feb. 19 press release, stating that by having health professionals oversee the consumption of prescribed opioids, the province will ensure they are used by the intended recipient.

“This will eliminate the risk of these medications falling into the hands of gangs and organized crime,” she said.

The decision follows the leaking of a ministry of health document earlier this month, which revealed that a significant portion of opioids freely prescribed by doctors and pharmacists were not reaching their intended recipients, leading to trafficking at local, national, and international levels.

The transition to witnessed consumption became effective on Feb. 19 for new patients, with the province planning to assist existing patients in moving to the new model “as soon as possible.”

Osborne emphasized that prescribed opioids have been proven to save lives by offering a safer alternative for individuals at high risk of overdose, but acknowledged the need to ensure the program functions as intended.

B.C.’s government initiated its “safer supply” program in 2020. This federally funded initiative supplies prescribed opioids to individuals struggling with addiction to discourage them from resorting to the illicit street market for drugs. According to the program’s description, this approach reduces the risk of overdose, poisoning, and death while facilitating connections with health and social services.

Between 2022 and 2024, approximately 22,418,000 doses of opioids were prescribed through the program in British Columbia, as per the leaked document.

B.C. Conservative MLA Elenore Sturko characterized the leaked document as evidence that the safe supply program is contributing to addiction, citing a drastic increase in the number of opioids prescribed under the program from about 500,000 pills in the first 6 months of 2020 to over 20 million.

B.C. Opposition Leader John Rustad hailed the province’s recent decision to implement supervised consumption as a significant policy victory for his party in a social media post on Feb. 19. He also called for a public inquiry into safer supply diversion within the province.

Program ‘Misuse’

Since last year, the health ministry has been investigating pharmacies suspected of illegitimately dispensing prescribed opioids, including “misusing” fee-for-service payments to provide “kickbacks” for retaining and attracting new patients, as stated in the Feb. 19 press release. Over 60 pharmacies have faced allegations so far.

The province announced plans to revise the fee structure for pharmacies to more accurately reflect service costs, thereby reducing financial incentives for those attempting to exploit the system.

Pharmacies found guilty of misconduct will face consequences such as license suspension or cancellation, ineligibility to bill for medications and medical supplies, and referral to law enforcement if necessary, according to officials.

The provincial government is also taking steps to combat the overprescribing of opioids by healthcare providers, noting that in December of last year, 97 percent of individuals prescribed opioids in the province did not receive them for reasons related to “safer supply,” such as pain management.

The province intends to establish a working group with the College of Physicians and Surgeons and the College of Nurses and Midwives to investigate and address the inappropriate prescription of opioids.

In November, a House of Commons committee heard testimony from the police in London, Ontario, indicating that “safer supply” drugs are being traded for more potent substances like fentanyl, with London being the first Canadian city to test the program.

“If they are involved in the program and receive a supply of Dilaudid, that now acts as currency that they never had previously,” remarked London Police Chief Thai Truong to the House Committee on Health on Nov. 26, 2024.

Chandra Philip and Matthew Horwood contributed to this report.

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