[SIRENS]
[SIRENS] >> Reporter: THROUGH THE
STREETS OF VA
>> Reporter: THROUGH THE STREETS OF VANCOUVER, A RUSH TO
THE SCENE.
THE SCENE. NOW WITH A FEW EXTRA HANDS.
AS ONE HEALTH EMERGENCY
EXACERBATES ANOTHER, THAT'S BEEN
UNFOLDING FOR YEARS.
>
UNFOLDING FOR YEARS. >> SO IS HE AWAKE?
>> HIS EYES ARE O
>> SO IS HE AWAKE? >> HIS EYES ARE OPEN.
>> Reporter: THIS IS ONE OF
THE FEW THOUSAND
OVERDOSES THAT B.C. PARAMEDICS
HAVE BEEN RESPONDING TO EACH
MONTH.
MONTH.
MONTH. >>
MONTH. >> LET ME GIVE HIM A LITTLE
NARCAN.
NARCAN.
NARCAN. >> Reporter: ON THE MIDDLE O
NARCAN. >> Reporter: ON THE MIDDLE OF
A SIDEWALK ON
VANCOUVER'S DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE, A
MAN IS UNCONSCIOUS AND
STRUGGLING TO BREATHE.
>> TAKE SOME DEEP BREATHS.
>> Reporter: AS WITH SO MANY
OTHER CASES, FENTANYL IS THE
LIKELY CULPRIT.
LIKELY CULPRIT. AND FOR THOSE WHO SURVIVE,
PARAMEDICS SAY THAT IT'S NOW
TAKING LONGER TO REVIVE THEM.
>> HEY, SPORT.
IT'S ALL RIGHT.
CAN YOU SIT UP FOR US?
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE
OKAY.
OKAY.
OKAY. WE'RE PARAMEDICS.
WE'RE PARAMEDICS. >> WIE GIVING THESE PEOPLE HIGH
WE'RE PARAMEDICS. >> WIE GIVING THESE PEOPLE HIG
DOSES OF NARCAN.
AND THE
DOSES OF NARCAN. AND THEY'RE STARTING TO BREATHE
AND THEY'RE NOT WAKING U
AND THEY'RE STARTING TO BREATHE AND THEY'RE NOT WAKING UP
AND THEY'RE STARTING TO BREATHE AND THEY'RE NOT WAKING UP.
>> LET ME TAKE YOUR BLOOD
PRESSURE REAL QUICK.
>> Reporter: HE'S TRAINED TO
GIVE ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT AND
FREQUENTLY CALLED UPON TO HELP
CREWS TO RESPOND TO OVERDOSES.
THE PROGRAMME WAS LAUNCHED THREE
YEARS AGO.
YEARS AGO. NOT LONG AFTER THE PROVINCE
DECLARED A HEALTH EMERGENCY
BECAUSE OF DRUG DEATHS.
IT WAS A CRI
BECAUSE OF DRUG DEATHS. IT WAS A CRISIS THEN AND IT IS
WORSE NOW.
WORSE NOW. >> I THINK THAT WHAT WE'RE
FINDING IS THAT IT'S MORE
WIDESPREAD.
WIDESPREAD. IT'S IN ALL OF THE CORNERS OF
THE PROVINCE.
THE PROVINCE. YOU ARE GETTING IT IN PRINCE
GEORGE AND WE'RE GETTING IT IN
VICTORIA AND YOU'RE GETTING IT
IN THE INTERIOR.
IT'S JUST PICKING UP EVERYWHERE.
[SIRENS]
[SIRENS]
[SIRENS] >> Reporter: BETWEEN MAY AND
THE END OF JULY, MORE THAN 500
PEOPLE IN B.C. HAVE DIED OF
OVERDOSES.
OVERDOSES. THE SOC
OVERDOSES. THE SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF
COVID-19 ARE ONE LIKELY FACTOR.
PHYSICAL DISTANCING MEANS SOME
SAFE CONSUMPTION SITES HAVE HAD
TO SHUT DOWN O
SAFE CONSUMPTION SITES HAVE HAD TO SHUT DOWN OR REDUCE THEIR
SPACE.
SPACE.
SPACE. AND MORE PEOPLE ARE USING ALONE.
(♪♪♪)
(♪♪♪)
(♪♪♪) ANOTHER CAUSE -- INCREASINGLY
TOXIC DRUGS
ANOTHER CAUSE -- INCREASINGLY TOXIC DRUGS.
TOXIC DRUGS. EXPERTS SPECULATE THAT BORDER
CLOSURES HAVE DISRUPTED THE
SUPPLY, LEAVING SOME TO CONCOCT
MIXTURES WITH ADDITIONAL
CHEMICALS.
CHEMICALS. >> THIS ONE IS FENTANYL AND WE
CHEMICALS. >> THIS ONE IS FENTANYL AND W
DON'T NEED MUCH SAMPLE -- WE
NEED
NEED
NEED ABOUT 10-MILLIGRAMS OR THE SIZE
OF A MATCHHEAD.
>> Repor
OF A MATCHHEAD. >> Reporter: ALEX IS A
TECHNICIAN
TECHNICIAN WHICH GET YOUR DRUGS TESTED IN
VANCOUVER.
VANCOUVER. HE TESTS DRUGS THAT ARE DROPPED
OFF OR MAILED IN ACROSS CANADA.
>> WE HAVE ALL TYPES, PEOPLE WHO
ARE DEALING AND CHECKING THEIR
SUBSTANCES AND CHECKING WHAT TO
BUY.
BUY.
BUY. OR
BUY. OR PEOPLE WHO ARE CUTTING THEIR
SAMPLES AND TRYING TO SEE WHAT
PERCENTAGE THEY'VE CUT IT AT.
>> Reporter
PERCENTAGE THEY'VE CUT IT AT. >> Reporter: AFTER THE BORDER
CLOSED, HE S
>> Reporter: AFTER THE BORDER CLOSED, HE SAID THAT HE STAR
>> Reporter: AFTER THE BORDER CLOSED, HE SAID THAT HE STARTED
TO SEE DRUGS WITH DRUGS CUT IN
THAT SUPP
TO SEE DRUGS WITH DRUGS CUT IN THAT SUPPRESSES THE
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.
>> IT'S FINT NIL, YOU CAN SEE IT
PEEKING OUT.
PEEKING OUT. >> Reporter: THEN H
PEEKING OUT. >> Reporter: THEN HE BEGAN
NOTICING HIGHER AMOUNTS
OF FENTANYL.
OF FENTANYL. >> IT'S NORMALLY 5% TO 10% AND
WE WERE SEEING 15% TO 20%, 25%
TO 30%, SO MUCH STRONGER.
FOR MOST PEOPLE THAT'S ENOUGH TO
OVERDOSE.
OVERDOSE.
OVERDOSE. EVEN A SEASONED USER WITH A HIGH
TOLERANCE.
TOLERANCE. >> DID YOU USE THIS ONE BEFORE,
MATTHEW?
MATTHEW?
MATTHEW? OKAY.
OKAY.
OKAY. SO
OKAY. SO I'M GOING TO SAY THAT ONE
LOOKS LIKE IT'S 10, 15, MAYBE.
>> Reporter: THERE ARE A FEW
OTHER PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN
FIND OUT WHAT'S IN THEIR DRUGS
BEFORE THEY TAKE THEM.
AT THIS OVERDOSE PREVENTION
SITE, TESTING IS AVAILABLE A FEW
DAYS A WEEK AND CARRIED OUT BY A
TEAM WORKING FOR VANCOUVER
COASTAL HEALTH.
COASTAL HEALTH. >> SO BE CAR
COASTAL HEALTH. >> SO BE CAREFUL WITH THAT,
MATT
>> SO BE CAREFUL WITH THAT, MATTHEW, BECAUSE IT'S STRONGER
THAN PERHAPS YOU'VE HAD LATELY.
>> IT'S NORMALLY 45% AND THIS
ONE HERE IS 10%, 15%.
>> Reporter: NOW THAT YOU KNOW
THAT IS STRONGER, WHAT DOES IT
CHANGE?
CHANGE?
CHANGE? >> I'LL HAVE TO DO LIKE, YOU
KNOW, THREE TIMES LESS.
>> AND LET'S SEE HOW MANY
FENTANYL ANALOGUES WE HAVE HERE.
ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE,
SIX, SEVEN --
>> Reporter: WHEN PHOENIX WAS
TRAINED TO DO THE TESTING LAST
FALL, SHE HOPED PEOPLE WOULD
THROW THEIR DRUGS OUT IF RESULTS
SHOWED THEY WERE STRONGER OR
CONTAINED UNWANTED CHEMICALS.
BUT THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.
SHE'S BOTH DISAPPOINTED AND
EMPATHETIC.
EMPATHETIC. >> IF YOU'VE SPENT YOUR LAST $10
ON IT AND THERE'S ANY FENTANYL
IN IT AT ALL, YOU'LL DO THAT
SAMPLE WHETHER I TELL YOU THAT
IT'S GOT SOMETHING THAT YOU
DON'T WANT IN IT OR NOT.
BECAUSE THE SICKNESS NEEDS TO BE
KEPT AT BAY.
>> Reporter: THOUGH THE
QUESTION REMAINS JUST WHAT CAN
BE DONE TO PREVENT MORE PEOPLE
FROM DYING.
FROM DYING. THERE'S A GROWING CALL FROM
SOME, INCLUDING THE CHIEFS OF
POLICE AND B.C.'S TOP DOCTOR TO
DECRIMINALIZE ILLICIT DRUG USE.
>> WE NEED PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS
TO KNOW THEY CAN COME OUT OF THE
SHADOWS.
SHADOWS.
SHADOWS. >> Reporter: BUT THAT DECISION
RESTS WITH THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, SO B.C. HAS GONE A
DIFFERENT ROUTE.
DIFFERENT ROUTE. AT THE END OF MARCH, THE
PROVINCE EXTENDED ACCESS TO
SO-CALL
PROVINCE EXTENDED ACCESS TO SO-CALLED SAFE SUPPLY, WHICH
MEANS DRUGS LIKE NARCOTICS CAN
BE MORE WIDELY PRESCRIBED TO
THOSE STR
BE MORE WIDELY PRESCRIBED TO THOSE STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION.
>> EVERY POSSIBILITY FOR HOW ONE
CAN IMAGINE CREATING MORE SAFETY
WITHIN THE TOXIC DRUG SUPPLY I
THINK IS ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW.
>> Reporter: DR. ASHLEY HEATH
WORKS AT TWO CLINICS IN VICTORIA
WHERE ROUGHLY 80 PATIENTS ARE ON
SAFE SUPPLY.
SAFE SUPPLY. IN B.C., SOME DOCTORS ARE
WRITING THOSE PRESCRIPTIONS IN
AN EFFORT TO KEEP THOSE ADDICTED
OFF OF STREET DRUGS.
BUT SHE ADMITS T
OFF OF STREET DRUGS. BUT SHE ADMITS THAT ACCESS CAN
BE AN ISSUE, PARTICULARLY IN
REMOTE AREAS, BECAUSE NOT ALL
DOCTORS ARE COMFORTABLE
PRESCRIBING THE DRUG.
>> I THINK THAT A LOT OF
PHYSICIANS ARE SITTING WITH, YOU
KNOW, A HE
PHYSICIANS ARE SITTING WITH, YOU KNOW, A HEAVINESS AROUND, MAKING
SURE THAT WHATEVER WE STEP
FORWARD WITH WITHIN THIS
PANDEMIC PRESCRIBING CONTEXT
REALLY IS ADHERING TO THAT DOING
US NO H
REALLY IS ADHERING TO THAT DOING US NO HA
REALLY IS ADHERING TO THAT DOING US NO HARM.
AND THEY'RE WEIGHIN
US NO HARM. AND THEY'RE WEIGHING
THAT WITHIN THEIR OWN PRACTISE
AND THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE OF
CARING FOR THEIR PATIENTS.
>> Reporter: AND JUST BECAUSE
SOMEONE IS GIVEN A PRESCRIPTION
DOESN'T MEAN THEY WILL STAY ON
IT OR EVEN STAY OFF OF WHAT
THEY'RE ALREADY TAKING.
>> THESE ARE ALL OF THE PILLS
THAT I TAKE EVERY MORNING.
>> Reporter: INSIDE EACH OF
THESE PLASTIC PACKS ARE
HYDROMORPHONE PILLS, SYNTHETIC
OPIOIDS.
OPIOIDS.
OPIOIDS. EACH DAY D
OPIOIDS. EACH DAY DAVID KIELER IS GI
OPIOIDS. EACH DAY DAVID KIELER IS GIVEN
28.
28.
28. HE
28. HE STARTED TAKING THEM IN MARCH
BUT AFTER GETTING A PRESCRIPTION
BUT STILL ENDS UP TURNING TO HIS
DEALER MOST AFTERNOONS.
>> I MEAN, IT JUST DOESN'
DEALER MOST AFTERNOONS. >> I MEAN, IT JUST DOESN'T R
DEALER MOST AFTERNOONS. >> I MEAN, IT JUST DOESN'T REACH
MY ADDICTION, IT DOESN'T TOUCH
IT.
IT.
IT. MAYBE
IT. MAYBE MORE THAN HALF OF THE
PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT ARE ON
THESE ARE JUST LOOKING TO SELL
THEM.
THEM.
THEM. SHAKE THEM, DUMP THEM.
I'LL TAKE THOSE RIGHT NOW, I'LL
TAKE ALL OF THEM.
>> Repor
TAKE ALL OF THEM. >> Reporter: KIELER CHOOSES TO
TAKE THEM AND TODAY WASHES THE
PILLS DOWN WITH COFFEE.
>> TWO MORE.
>> Reporter: BUT HE SAYS THAT
THE PROBLEM WITH SAFE SUPPLY IS
THAT PEOPLE AREN'T GIVEN THE
SAME DRUGS THEY'RE ADDICTED TO.
IN HIS CASE, HEROIN, WHICH HE
STARTED USING AT 14.
>> IT'S STUFF THAT PEOP
STARTED USING AT 14. >> IT'S STUFF THAT PEOPLE NEED
TO KNOW IF
THEY'RE TOYING WITH IT.
>> Reporter: THE DAY THAT I
SPOKE WITH HIM HE WAS ON THE WAY
TO A MEMORIAL FOR THREE FRIENDS
WHO DIED OF OVERDOSES.
>> GIVE PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED
BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T GET WHAT
THEY NEED, THEY'RE GOING TO GO
AFTER IT.
AFTER IT.
AFTER IT. AND IT'S JUST GOING TO CONTINUE.
IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG BALL
GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER AND
ROLLING AND KEEP ON GOING.
IT'S JUST A BIG NASTY VICIOUS
CIRCLE, RIGHT?
CIRCLE, RIGHT? AND IT'S NEVER GOING TO END
UNLESS WE TAKE CARE OF IT
PROPERLY.
PROPERLY.
PROPERLY. >> Reporter: AND IN
VANCOUVER'S DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE IS
A SEARING REMINDER OF THE LOATHE
OF ADDICTION.
OF ADDICTION. ON SOME EVENINGS, PARAMEDICS
RESPOND TO A FEW DOZEN CALLS IN
THIS CITY ALONE.
AND MANY IN PRIVATE RESIDENCES
AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
>> WHAT WE'RE SEEING FOR THE
DEATHS WHEN WE FIND OUT ABOUT
THOSE CALLS, THOSE PEOPLE HAVE
ALREADY PASSED AWAY BY THE TIME
WE GET THERE.
AND QUITE OFTEN THEY'VE DONE
DRUGS BY THEMSELVES.
>> EXCUSE ME.
>> Reporter: THAT DIDN'T
HAPPEN HERE.
HAPPEN HERE. >> THANK YOU.
>> Reporter: IN THE EARLY
>> THANK YOU. >> Reporter: IN THE EARL
HOURS OF THE MORNING
>> Reporter: IN THE EARL HOURS OF THE MORNING, A MAN
COLLAPSED IN THE LOBBY OF A
SHELTER.
SHELTER.
SHELTER. EVEN BEFORE THE PARAMEDICS
ARRIVE, THE STAFF RUSHED IN TO
ADMINISTER NARCAN OR NALOXONE,
AN OPIOID ANTIDOTE.
>> WELL, HE'S HAD SOME NARCAN,
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> HE'S HAD FOUR CANS OF NAR
IS THAT CORRECT? >> HE'S HAD FOUR CANS OF NARCAN.
>> Reporter: WHEN SOMEONE IS
RESUSCITATED, PARAMEDICS SAY
THEY'RE OFTEN CONFUSED AND
SOMETIMES ANGRY.
SOMETIMES ANGRY. >> JUST CHECKING YOUR HEART.
>> WHY ARE YOU?
>> BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T
BREATHING.
BREATHING. >> Reporter: AND USUALLY
REFUSE TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL.
>> WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT HA
REFUSE TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. >> WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE
OVERDOSED SO MANY TIMES AND HAVE
BEEN RESUSCITATED, THEY JUST GET
UP AND THEY SAY, NO, I'M FINE.
THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE AND
THEY JUST WALK AWAY.
THAT'S SAD, BECAUSE YOU WANT TO
GET THEM TH
THAT'S SAD, BECAUSE YOU WANT TO GET THEM THE HELP THAT THEY
NEED.
NEED.
NEED. >>
NEED. >> Reporter: EVEN WHEN THEY DO
GET IN THE AMBULANCE, THE
RELENTLESS NATURE OF ADDICTION
MEANS THAT THERE'S NO GUARANTEE
THEY WON'T FI
MEANS THAT THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THEY WON'T FIND THEMSELVES HERE
AGAIN.
AGAIN.
AGAIN. AND NEXT TIME THE OUTCOME MIGHT
NOT BE THE SAME.
BRIAR STEWART, CBC NEWS,