Dear Editor,
In response to Bob Groeneveld’s article [Coroner’s officer reports 29 fatal drug overdoses, March 23, Langley Advance Times online].
This statistic is shocking and sad, alas the intention of the article was lost in the misinformation and absolutely absurd statement claimed at the end of the article by local deputy fire chief Russ Jenkins.
While I’m certain Mr. Jenkins means well, it is concerning and stunning that he would publicly claim that some of the “most harmful substances can be mixed into marijuana.” There is absolutely no data to back this up… can Mr. Jenkins link to even one documented case where marijuana itself has been found to be contaminated with fentanyl? No he can not.
Making claims like this to a reporter does not help in the midst of an overdose crisis, rather they create fear and misunderstanding about the nuance of what is actually happening in the midst of a toxic drug supply.
Most certainly drug screens of overdose victims have been found to contain marijuana. That simply does not correlate with the marijuana itself having been contaminated by fentanyl.
I suspect that the contaminated marijuana myth is perpetuated because claiming someone overdosed as a result of consuming contaminated marijuana carries a lot less stigma than admitting the individual was perhaps using harder drugs like cocaine, heroin, or even intentionally consuming fentanyl (which most certainly happens!).
I would challenge Jenkins to respond to this with some documented cases of marijuana contamination… I am certain we will hear nothing.
Additionally I would like to point out the BC Ministry of Health has released statements explicitly stating, “Contrary to some reports, fentanyl has not been found in marijuana (cannabis).”
The provincial government also had to do damage control when former premier Christy Clark made this same ridiculous claim about contaminated marijuana and the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Morris the Vancouver Police Department and the RCMP stated unequivocally that there was absolutely NO basis for this claim.
As part of the Langley overdose response committee, our team is committed to educating the public and businesses about the overdose crisis, in fact we visit businesses and dispell this myth all the time.
It would be helpful if reporters could fact check audacious claims like this before publishing.
Daniel Snyder, Murrayville