SUDU CONDEMNS THE BC NDP’S PERFORMANCE AT SURREY-PRETRIAL

SURREY, BC – Today, the BC NDP and its political appointees stood in front of Surrey Pre-Trial and sentenced people who use drugs to more trauma, violence, and death under the guise of involuntary “treatment”. Members of the Surrey Union of Drug Users (SUDU) are appalled the government is continuing down this dark path despite objections from people who use drugs, experts, and healthcare workers across the province.

SUDU Board Member Stephen Meier points to the BCNDPs lack of attention to follow-up services after involuntary care. “I’ve been to treatment several times over a 35 year period. I’ve had times where I stayed clean. The best and longest were when I had aftercare in a facility with transitional housing and educational support,” says Meier. “The BCNDP has not communicated any plan to provide people with adequate support when they are involuntarily detained.”

This latest performance is part of a continued show of ignorance and lack of accountability by David Eby’s government, which has failed to provide adequate, on-demand and evidence-based voluntary treatment. There is only one detox centre for all of Fraser Health, which is underequipped to support people who are coerced into benzodiazepine use by the unregulated supply. If you get into detox, next are the barriers to voluntary treatment, including the complex referral process to get on a waitlist, strict intake windows, and lack of follow-up support. 

“I’ve been a benzo user for a long time. It’s not a choice to use benzos or not anymore because when you get unregulated drugs with benzos in it, you become dependent. It doesn’t matter if you want to stop or not,” said Braiden Laitre, SUDU Research and Policy Committee Member. “If I were involuntarily detained, I’d only be treated for opioid withdrawal, which would be dangerous and terrifying.”

For years, our calls for the government to meaningfully regulate the expansive private for-profit treatment industry have been ignored. People who use drugs in Surrey know that the horrifying news related to John Volken Academy that has been reported on is not exceptional.

“Instead of involuntary care, why doesn’t the government keep track of the recovery house operators? Is there any oversight? Money is being wasted, and the people who need those resources most are being screwed.” said Sandy Mavety, member of the SUDU Research & Policy Committee. “Why are we continuing to throw money at an unregulated system that has not served us well? ‘Licensing’ is a load of crap.”

No one has ever healed in Surrey Pre-Trial, and to suggest that this institution will save our lives is a violent farce. Premier David Eby, Dr. Vigo, and ex-police officer Terry Yung already have blood on their hands - we encourage Minister Osborne to try and keep her hands a little cleaner.

Media contacts

Anmol Swaich, MSc

Executive Director

Surrey Union of Drug Users

604-440-3671

Aaron Bailey, MSc

Community Organizer, Research & Policy

Surrey Union of Drug Users

905-439-2078