Ongoing overdose death and insufficient government response prompts the importance of regulating the illicit drug supply.

Vancouver, BC – On the heels of the limited decriminalization of small amounts of certain drugs in British Columbia, the BC Coroner releases another devastating announcement that overdoses continue to increase. In response to this announcement, and in memory of all those lives needlessly lost, the Drug User Liberation Front (DULF) announces its 6th month of running its community-regulated cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine store/compassion club.

The drugs provided by DULF’s compassion club are tested via Mass-Spectrometry, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectrometry, and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and then clearly labeled with this information to ensure people know the contents, potency and quality of their drugs. Members of the compassion club are then able to come to a physical location and obtain this ‘community-regulated supply’ for up to 80 percent cheaper than they would on the street.  

After six months of operation and over 1 kg of substances provided through the compassion club, there have been no deaths resulting from the club. Further, members of the club are reporting less involvement in crime, less overdose risk, higher financial stability and increased control over their lives.

“Decriminalization alone does not address the issue that drug users will still need to access an unregulated and deadly drug supply. Step up and address this issue or allow us access to the resources and funds to do it ourselves.”

Jeremy Kalicum, Co-founder, Drug User Liberation Front

Without a substantial increase in the availability of regulated drugs, decriminalization will not reduce overdose deaths. It is with profound frustration and unimaginable grief, that we ask for the government to act now and regulate the illicit market, before more lives are lost.