Photo by Whitehorse Star
Dr. Ryan Warshawksi
More must be done about opioids deaths: YMA
Pressure is mounting on the Yukon government to do more to address the opioid crisis plaguing the territory.
Pressure is mounting on the Yukon government to do more to address the opioid crisis plaguing the territory.
The Yukon Medical Association (YMA) is the latest to weigh in on the issue with a demand for the government to decriminalize drug possession.
“The YMA is urging the Yukon government to decriminalize the simple possession and use of controlled substances to help address the highest rate of opioid deaths in the country,” its president, Dr. Ryan Warshawksi, said in a news release.
“The move is just one of a several steps being recommended by Yukon doctors to deal with the opioid crisis in the territory – a situation made worse in Yukon and nationwide by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Warshawski added.
“Statistics released in November indicated the rate of opioid deaths in Yukon is 48.4 deaths per 100,000 people versus a national rate of 19.4 deaths per 100,000 people.
“This is a crisis of huge proportions, and it is disproportionately impacting First Nations people who make up a significant proportion of our population,” Warshawksi continued.
“We must provide improved treatment for those with opioid use disorder by increasing access to medication and by integrating and enhancing the existing mental health and wellness services that are already available.”
There have been 64 opioids deaths in the Yukon since April 2016, including 23 fatal incidents in 2021, followed by eight more last month.
In the release, the YMA also believes there is an urgent need to assess what is required in Yukon communities to provide informed, cohesive, and research-based recommendations specific to the Yukon population.
“The Yukon is a unique environment with different substance use patterns and access to supports than other provinces and territories,” said Warshawski.
“We need data specific to the Yukon population to create the optimal, safest model to deliver an enhanced treatment for those who use opioids.”
Some steps have already been taken to address the opioid crisis in Yukon. These include providing naloxone kits to reverse overdoses, providing opioids agonist therapy, and the late 2021 opening of the new Whitehorse supervised injection site on Sixth Avenue.
“These are all good steps, but they are not nearly enough,” said Warshawski. “We must change our system to one that treats those with opioid use disorder as a health problem instead of a criminal one.
“We see that this government is engaged and committed to solving the opioid crisis,” he said.
“Yukon doctors are eager to partner with the Yukon government and other stakeholders to enact effective lifesaving change for Yukoners.”
Tracy-Anne McPhee, the minister of Health and Social Services, decclared a substance use state of emergency on Jan. 20.
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Comments (22)
Up 2 Down 0
Anie on Feb 11, 2022 at 3:23 pm
To my opinion - Happy to give you a chuckle, courtesy of auto correct and my failure to review before hitting "submit". Here is a helpful link to both the original and the modern Hippocratic oath.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/hippocratic-oath-today/
Up 2 Down 4
Sarah Davison on Feb 10, 2022 at 8:57 am
Well said. It would be interesting to know what evidence supports these practical ideas as effective. Is there any kind of concrete plan to deal with this problem? Is there any sort of coordinated leadership? Anything that can be done must be encouraged.
Up 3 Down 2
My Opinion on Feb 9, 2022 at 8:36 pm
@anie
Well I had a good laugh at that. I have no idea what the hypocritical oath says. Haha. But the "Hippocratic oath" does.
It seems that many Medical schools use different wording based on several considerations, Religious, institutional biases etc. But most do, depending on how they word it. Check it out on Wikipedia.
Up 14 Down 10
Guncache on Feb 9, 2022 at 5:51 pm
Don't take illicit drugs, don't die. Stop wasting my money on naloxone kits and ambulance calls. Nominations for the Darwin Awards being accepted.
Up 10 Down 6
Go Away Hanley! on Feb 9, 2022 at 5:19 pm
The phrase in Latin is primum non nocere (first, do no harm). This was not contained in the original Hippocratic oath either but rather in Hippocrates other works, The Epidemics - An easy Google search.
Doctors could not adhere to a do no harm principle because medical opinions and diagnostics are fraught with error and uncertainty - Only stupid people would put them on a pedestal and exalt their virtues… I suppose that is why Liberal Yukoners put Hanley in Ottawa?
Doctors know this. Doctors accept that their actions and advice may kill people. Medical error is the third leading cause of death in North America. With better, mandatory reporting it would easily be #1 - However, all people, organizations, and professions are image conscious and seek to maintain a positive one…
Yes, you are lied to as a matter of routine. So, you have that.
Up 3 Down 6
Anie on Feb 9, 2022 at 2:00 pm
To My Opinion - the modern hypocritical oath, written in 1964, does not include those words.
Up 16 Down 4
marylaker on Feb 9, 2022 at 12:58 pm
I agree with Joan that if you are over 20 and a drug addict, there's a chance you will decide to kick the addiction but nobody can help you much.
The answer is prevention for the next generation, even though that's not as attractive because the numbers of overdoses will keep piling up for years to come. All the same, we have to deal with reality and get more results for our efforts. Childhood trauma leads to addiction. Focus on the babies and kids of today, and even healthy pregnancies. The investment of resources will have a much higher payback.
Up 12 Down 11
Attention all doctors… on Feb 9, 2022 at 8:54 am
Yes, decriminalization is a piece of the puzzle, and I completely agree that this needs to viewed as a health issue, not a criminal issue. However this does not address tainted drug supply.
I would challenge the YMA to advocate for (and it’s members to consider prescribing) a safe supply. To solve the OD pandemic will a multifaceted approach with many different supports. As much as I respect the YMA, it feels like a bit of a cop out to not be just as vocally advocating for safe supply (esp. when physician have the capacity to directly affect change).
Up 18 Down 4
Bandit on Feb 9, 2022 at 5:37 am
@ Politico
Please enlighten us mere peasants, what is this magic bullet you speak of.
Up 25 Down 10
Mr Facts on Feb 9, 2022 at 5:22 am
Man, looking at this guy and seeing what he is advocating is scary. I'm glad he's not my doctor. Newsflash, no one is really getting arrested up here for simple possession. Unless you maybe got caught in a traffic stop. You took an oath to "Do no harm". Continually providing drugs to people so they can get high, legal or not is not helping anyone and indeed doing harm.
It's another reason I took my own health into my hands a long time ago, and so should you. Please check out Dr Berg on YouTube. This one Dr could put the whole medical establishment out of business, and I'm not kidding. Watch his videos before he is banned for so-called "misinformation".
https://youtube.com/c/DrEricBergDC
Up 18 Down 15
Max Mack on Feb 9, 2022 at 12:03 am
Warshawksi is an elitist progressive Liberal and he advocates for all the things that other elitist Liberals/Democrats advocate for. Same with Elliott, Smart and Hanley.
"the Science" that they follow regarding illicit drug use is as tilted and contentious as "the Science" they dogmatically cling to regarding covid policies (vaxx mandates, vaxx passports, mask mandates, lockdowns, restrictions, isolation, "circuit breakers" and social distancing).
Their policies reek of elitism and are devoid of logic or actual science. Their policies harm far more people than they help. God help us if they stay in power.
Up 26 Down 2
Joan Sandurth on Feb 8, 2022 at 7:09 pm
It's in absolutely unsolvable problem. You can throw all the money and resources in the world at an addict and almost all will relapse. This is not a problem the government can solve. The only thing we can do is prevention. Prevent childhood trauma, prevent addiction. That needs to come from families and communities. Not the government.
Up 13 Down 10
Fire them now!!! on Feb 8, 2022 at 5:34 pm
There is a very active discussion about whether or not medical doctors and psychiatrists should be involved in mental health matters. Drug and alcohol abuse are not “diseases” they are mental health concerns. The medical model should be kept away from alcohol and drug addicts/users. The harm reduction model keeps addicts sick.
Really! WTF is wrong with you people?
This is a problem in the Yukon. They don’t need pills, they don’t need a disease, they need counselling, in person counselling!!!
Not free drugs, safe injection sites, prescription drugs, and a 15 minute consult - GTFOH! Geesus! We have kids stoned and drunk at our schools and group homes - Is YG MWSUS looking for job security or what?
Up 10 Down 10
bonanzajoe on Feb 8, 2022 at 4:51 pm
Politico, you do know the Liberals are in power in Canada and Yukon right? Maybe it's time to lay off the wacky stuff and read a newspaper once in awhile.
Up 18 Down 5
NDea on Feb 8, 2022 at 3:47 pm
Coming from a doctor that pretty much told my son depression was just in his head and was very judgmental towards a friend of mine with an alcohol problem. But yes. Let's listen to him. I'm not against it but it makes me laugh that he is the spokesman.
Up 48 Down 21
My Opinion on Feb 8, 2022 at 3:34 pm
While injecting addicts in a government sponsored facility Doctors should remember the line from their oath. "Do No Harm".
Up 43 Down 17
My Opinion on Feb 8, 2022 at 3:30 pm
Maybe just maybe these doctors should look in the mirror when being so self-righteous. It seems to me, and has been proven in many class action suits in the US that Doctors received perks and kick backs for prescribing Opioids, causing massive amounts of addiction. I don't think morally they are the ones that should be weighing in on this subject.
Up 46 Down 15
Irene on Feb 8, 2022 at 2:21 pm
I have a suggestion - if Yukon doctors are so hot to trot to partner with YTG then put your money where you mouth is. Take 20% of your gross wages to cover the cost of these wasteful programs you dream of. You will soon find out the folly of your idealism when you see your good financial resources ending up the sewage lagoon. Just stop asking everyone else to stick their collective hands in their pockets to fund these lofty ideas.
Up 43 Down 18
Richard Smith on Feb 8, 2022 at 2:06 pm
Just unbelievable.
The Yukon Medical Association (YMA) wants to decriminalize drug possession and provide free illicit drugs to users?
While at the Supervised Consumption Site (SCS) in Whitehorse everyone is exempt from prosecution under the "Controlled Drug and Substances Act" while in the SCS.
So the YMA wants to allow anyone to possess illicit drugs anywhere. This is unconscionable.
Virtually everywhere these are allowed substance abuse and overdose deaths have gone up dramatically including Whitehorse.
For a thorough examination and study of SCS and free government supplied elicit drugs google; "Harm Reduction" by Rufo
Up 15 Down 46
Politico on Feb 8, 2022 at 1:57 pm
It's well known what needs to be done about the opioid crisis but the conservatives in the territory refuse to follow the science and the research. It looks like the bodies will keep piling up!
Up 38 Down 17
Apex Parasite on Feb 8, 2022 at 1:50 pm
31 deaths from opioids in 2021 including the 8 last month. Far out shadows the rona yet the rona got governments trying to mandate jabbing the whole globe on the behalf of big pharma but when big pharma is supplying opioids that are causing statistically more harm then it's more or less crickets from government.
Strikes me that when money talks few question what it is saying or why.
Up 48 Down 30
It’s easier than you think on Feb 8, 2022 at 1:41 pm
Maybe if we stopped terrorizing people with a fake pandemic that would help. Also, if the supply of drugs is cut off, it dramatically reduces drug use. Parasites who cling to perpetuating addictions for jobs, contracts and political gain are a much bigger drain than drug addicts are.