Brother of overdose victim plans to open Vancouver store selling hard drugs. Province warns it’s illegal | 24CA News

As the possession of small quantities of onerous medication is about to be decriminalized in B.C. on the finish of the month, one man says he desires to take protected provide to a different stage.

A 3-year pilot mission accredited by Health Canada will decriminalize the possession of as much as 2.5 grams of opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine and MDMA within the province beginning Jan. 31 for British Columbians age 18 and older.

Jerry Martin, 51, says he plans to open a brick-and-mortar retailer in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside to promote heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and different substances he says can be examined and be safer for consumption than medication purchased on the road.

Even if the province says it isn’t authorized.

After spending 15 years on the road and getting sober from onerous medication, Martin says he feels he has an obligation to assist finish the stigma round drug customers and other people on the Downtown Eastside, particularly since his brother died of an overdose a few months in the past.

He says day by day a retailer just like the one he envisions just isn’t open is one other day individuals are dying, or are at risk.

According to the most recent knowledge from the B.C. Coroners Service, 14,000 folks have died for the reason that province declared a public well being emergency over the opioid and poisonous drug disaster in 2016.

“Opioids and dying from those sort of things, it’s a major part of the crisis but that’s not the only part,” he stated.

He provides that “predators” on the Downtown Eastside usually make the most of folks utilizing and buying onerous medication.

“Getting robbed, getting sold something that isn’t what it should be — fear and violence is the number one.”

By having the medication examined, Martin not solely hopes to forestall overdoses and deaths, however additionally supply a protected place for folks combating habit.

He says his plan is to promote solely to adults and supply 2.5 grams at a time.

Every buy can even include a little bit of training: Martin says he’ll warn clients concerning the risks of utilizing medication, and direct them towards neighbourhood assets that may assist them get clear, give them a spot to spend the night time, or supply one thing to eat.

But B.C.’s Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions says the decriminalization of people that use medication just isn’t the identical as legalization.

“Mr. Martin’s project is not within the scope of decriminalization,” the ministry stated in an electronic mail assertion. “The selling (or trafficking) of controlled substances remains illegal.”

The ministry says police will keep the flexibility to implement legal guidelines pertaining to drug trafficking after Jan. 31.

‘Things ought to be getting examined beforehand’: activist

Dana Larsen, a hashish and drug coverage reform activist, says he thinks Martin’s concept will catch on. 

“I think it’s a good idea,” Larsen informed Radio-Canada. “To try to create the safe drug supply it seems everyone agrees we need, but it’s not being created by government or anyone else.”

In 2019, Larsen based Get Your Drugs Tested, a free testing website on East Hastings Street. Martin says he hopes to get the medication for his future retailer examined at Larsen’s website.

Larsen says he anticipates quite a lot of comparable tasks to pop up throughout town within the subsequent yr. 

He provides that on the streets, heroin has nearly been utterly changed by fentanyl.

“These things should be getting tested beforehand,” Larsen stated.

“They should be labelled, and people should know what they’re getting beforehand, like with any other substance.”

‘It’s simply serving to folks’

While his business mannequin has been mapped out, Martin continues to be in search of a business rental house, he says.

Though he is not positive when he’ll be capable of open — and although he additionally totally expects police to arrest him and shut down the store as soon as he does — he is adamant he’ll observe by means of on his plan.

“It’s just helping people,” he stated. 

“I don’t feel like I’m me unless I’m doing that.”