synthetic drugs are very profitable; we got too poor in a place that was getting wealthier by the day. https://twitter.com/kwardvancouver/status/1323101577566056448

the Poisoning Massacre is similarly an economic crisis. in fact it is the same one and will not be solved entirely through #SafeSupply. it will be mitigated, but the underlying causes will remain. and will return. its more than a housing crisis.

we got too poor.

in 2015-16, basic social assistance in BC was $610/mth and disability was $906/mth.

the shelter rate, as ever, was $375/mth
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our-governments/policies-for-government/bc-employment-assistance-policy-procedure-manual/archived-rate-tables/hardshipassistanceratetable_20170207.pdf

how does this compare to the supply change in other places?

these are from The Future of Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids (2019) from @RANDCorporation and i highly recommend that you check that out as well.
https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR3100/RR3117/RAND_RR3117.pdf

" Fentanyl’s challenge to treatment and harm reduction is etched starkly in Vancouver’s death rate," the Rand authors state. Accurately.

But. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-od-crisis-lives-saved-1.5163581

Imagine, if you can, that twice as many people had died since 2016.

Like, as many that are dying right now.
THIS, for four years. This, for 1664 days.

#SafeSupply is #Poverty Reduction. it will eliminate the profit motive, thus the need for the informal market (if you do it right) and for survival crime.

we must decommodify drugs

#SafeSupply is also #Pharmacare

@jjhorgan @PHA_BC @CDCofBC #bcpoli @DonDavies

we don't have this "universal health care" in canada really, and usually people think "two-tier, fancy private health clinics etc" which we're not ok with but we also have thousands of people buying drugs of unknown composition on the street. which we criminalize.

we can open the door back to the health care system through the provision of multiple ways to access #SafeSupply
(please stop saying "low-barrier"; people have different barriers and it doesnt mean they're "low". make programs accessible and create choices. NOT models.

and now in the Covidtimes and the Aftertimes, we know how this is going. Here is my summary of this @UNODC report : shit is going to be bad all over.
They were right!
https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/covid/Covid-19-and-drug-supply-chain-Mai2020.pdf

there are no bailouts for the informal/illegal economy, but its still part of the global economy, and that whole thing IS NOT GOING GREAT
https://www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/publication/world-economic-situation-and-prospects-april-2020-briefing-no-136/