BC to Require ‘Safer Supply’ Users to Take Drugs Under Supervision to Curb Opioid Diversion

Heroin and cocaine from a safe supply are handed out to drug users in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, on Aug. 31, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

British Columbia has ended its take-home “safer supply” model, now requiring opioid recipients to take their prescriptions under medical supervision to prevent drugs from being diverted to organized crime networks.

B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne announced the changes in a Feb. 19 press release, saying that by having health professionals witness the consumption of prescribed opioids, the province will ensure they are used by the intended recipient.