Drugs to be sold in vending machines?

Dec 22, 2017 | 5:51 AM

VANCOUVER —  The B-C Centre for Disease Control admits its idea to make a safe opioid available in vending machines sounds off the wall.

     But executive medical director Dr. Mark Tyndall is hoping it will be like supervised injection sites and become the next harm reduction tool to fight the deadly overdose epidemic.

     Tyndall envisions a regulated system where drug users would be assessed, registered and issued a card to use in vending machines to obtain the painkiller hydromorphone.

     The Ontario Pharmacists Association says the innovative idea would have to be adequately monitored, but given that so many people are dying of overdoses, something has to be done.