Drug & Alcohol Testing Industry News
December 2023 DATAC Newsletter
Welcome to DATAC's last Newsletter of 2023! In this quarter's newsletter you will find an article which goes over the various methods for forensic testing and their sensitivity as well as ease of use. This will help you to understand how the various types of testing...
Canadian made fentanyl an international problem
A recent CBC article authored by Christian Paas-Lang examined seizures of fentanyl precursors at the U.S. border to be transformed into fentanyl by Canadian organized crime groups in Canada. According to Mathieu Bertrand, chief superintendent of Serious and Organized...
Health Canada promises $21 million to support harm reduction
Earlier in October, a news release on the federal government’s website announced that over $21 million in federal funding will be provided for 52 projects involved in harm reduction through Health Canada's Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP). Specifically,...
Cocaine use on the rise in Canada
According to a new Statistics Canada report released in November, more Canadians are using stimulants such as cocaine, which may be contributing to a high percentage of drug-related deaths. The report was based on data from the Canadian Wastewater Survey, which has...
Supporters rally for arrested Vancouver drug activists
Earlier in November, over 400 safe supply supporters gathered in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside to protest the recent arrests of the founders of the Drug User Liberation Front (DULF), Eris Nyx and Jeremy Kalicum. The arrests were made after Vancouver police raided...
A look at the opioid crisis in Thunder Bay
A recent analysis article authored by Christian Paas-Lang and published by CBC News examined the ongoing opioid crisis in Thunder Bay, the Ontario city with the highest per capita opioid-related deaths. While 2023 data has not yet been released, in the Thunder Bay...
P.E.I. continues to fight for safe consumption site
In late September, Charlottetown councillors voted against a potential supervised consumption site location on Park street, near a temporary emergency shelter. Subsequently, in October, the Prince Edward Island government said in an email correspondence with CBC News...
Regina finds dangerous animal tranquilizer in drug supply
The Nēwo-Yōtina Friendship Centre's drug testing site in Regina reported two instances of detecting xylazine in fentanyl samples this past October. Xylazine, a powerful tranquilizer drug used in veterinary medicine to sedate large animals, has been increasingly found...
Canada to legalize medically assisted death for substance abuse
In March 2024, changes to the legislation for medically assisted dying (MAID) will allow individuals suffering solely from a mental illness to access assisted suicide. Currently, individuals suffering from mental illnesses such as depression and personality disorders...