VICTORIA — B.C.’s health minister says he’s willing to study a proposal to prescribe clean injectable drugs — such as heroin and morphine — to people with addictions, but he won’t proceed until there is more public support for the controversial idea.
Terry Lake said Friday he’s concerned that moving too quickly to expand a small Vancouver clinic, where doctors already prescribe pharmaceutical-grade heroin and synthetic morphine to patients, would be viewed negatively by the public.
Some British Columbians support the idea to try to stem the growing number of deaths caused by overdoses of fentanyl, which is often mixed into streets drugs such as heroin and cocaine. But others oppose using public funds to buy drugs for those already suffering addictions.
“These ideas need some socialization,” Lake said in an interview. “We have to be careful not to rush into things, but at the same time not be afraid to have the conversation.
“I know that sounds a bit of fence sitting, but what I don’t want to do is take two steps backwards because you get a negative backlash. We have to bring people along and show that these types of things are worthy of investigation and perhaps implementing as part of good public health policy.”
