SOUND OFF: The NDP’s mishandling of drug use in B.C. hospitals
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RECENTLY EXPOSED internal communications and firsthand accounts have revealed that drug use in B.C. hospitals is not only tolerated but also facilitated by current NDP policies. This ridiculous approach is endangering dedicated healthcare staff and the patients they serve.
Under the NDP’s failed decriminalization policy, hospitals have become environments where hard drugs are being openly used. A memo from Northern Health explicitly instructs nurses to neither confiscate drugs nor weapons from patients and to avoid calling the police even in instances of drug trafficking within hospital premises. This directive blatantly disregards the safety of hospital staff and contradicts basic healthcare standards British Columbians expect.
The impact on healthcare workers is deepening as they face not only a crumbling and understaffed healthcare system but also the added challenge of managing open drug use within hospital settings. Troubling incidents, such as methamphetamine being smoked in hospital units — in one instance, just hours after the birth of a newborn — highlight the severe conditions under which medical staff have to work. These instances of drug use worsen an already critical situation, endangering both vulnerable patients and the professionals dedicated to their care.
The BC Nurses Union has noted a sharp escalation in workplace incidents since the NDP’s decriminalization pilot began in 2023. Over that period, 36 healthcare workers received compensation through approved WorkSafeBC claims after being exposed to drugs.
